Trump claims up to 1,700 Iranian 'sleeper cells' in US, White House says no credible threat

US President Donald Trump claimed Friday that Iran may have a sprawling network of over 1,700 "sleeper cells" in the US, raising concerns about potential domestic threats amid the ongoing war with Tehran. "We're watching them very, very carefully. We have them under watch. Now, when you say that, you say 1,700, could be a lot more than that came in," Trump said during an interview with Fox News Radio, attributing the potential presence to border policies under former President Joe Biden.

Contradictory messages

The comments come after Trump spent much of the first 15 months of his second term carrying out a nationwide immigration crackdown that has seen thousands deported alongside a massive deployment of federal officers and troops. Asked if he is worried about the prospects of Iran launching a drone attack on the US homeland, Trump said: "I don't worry about it, because if you did, you wouldn't be able to function. So you can't worry. You have to do something. And we watch everything at a level that, it's never been watched, our country has never been watched over like this, ever before."

White House denies threat

However, the White House said Thursday there is no credible threat from Iran to the US homeland, rejecting a media report that suggested Tehran could retaliate for American strikes by targeting the West Coast with drones. Spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt made the remarks on X while criticizing an ABC News report that said the FBI warned police departments in California about a potential Iranian drone threat. "To be clear: No such threat from Iran to our homeland exists, and it never did," Leavitt said, creating a notable contrast with Trump's statements.

Conflict context

The conflicting messages come as the US-Israeli war with Iran enters its 16th day, with over 1,300 killed in Iran according to Tehran authorities and thousands of missiles and drones exchanged. Iran has retaliated against US assets in the Gulf but has not directly attacked the US homeland, though concerns about potential escalation remain.