White House Slams ABC News for ‘Misleading’ Iran Drone Threat Report, Demands Retraction

According to the administration, the missing context could mislead the public.

Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt called for an immediate retraction, stating that the story failed to include crucial language from the original FBI bulletin describing the intelligence as “unverified.”

The controversy stems from ABC’s March 11 article, which detailed an FBI alert issued to California law enforcement in late February. The report described intelligence suggesting Iran “allegedly aspired” to launch a surprise drone attack from an unidentified vessel off the U.S. coast, potentially as retaliation for U.S. military actions. ABC cited sources indicating the tip was acquired in early February, before escalated U.S. and Israeli strikes against Iran under the current administration.

However, the White House highlighted a significant omission: the FBI bulletin explicitly labeled the information as “unverified.” Screenshots shared by FBI Assistant Director for Public Affairs Ben Williamson showed the original text reading, “We recently acquired unverified information…” – a phrase absent from ABC’s initial quoted excerpt.

The FBI bulletin, marked “UNCLASSIFIED//LAW ENFORCEMENT SENSITIVE,” cautioned recipients against public dissemination and noted it was not intended for broader release.

These details clearly shift the context from a credible threat to a raw, uncorroborated tip intended solely for situational awareness. Leavitt emphasized in a statement on X that “no such threat from Iran to our homeland exists, and it never did,” describing the report as based on a single email and warning against unnecessarily alarming the public.

A senior law enforcement official told ABC that ongoing U.S. operations had “severely degraded” Iran’s capabilities, further downplaying the immediacy of any risk. The article also mentioned a separate, unrelated September 2025 FBI alert about potential drone use by Mexican drug cartels along the border, which was similarly described as uncorroborated but plausible.

Responses from California officials included statements from Governor Gavin Newsom’s office about coordination with federal partners for community protection, and the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department, noting an “elevated level of readiness” with increased patrols.

ABC included commentary from former DHS intelligence official John Cohen, who raised concerns about Iran’s regional activities and praised the FBI’s information-sharing efforts. In response to the criticism, ABC News has since updated its article with an editor’s note stating: “Editor’s note: The FBI has posted a fuller version of its alert to California authorities, which includes that the information was unverified. The latest version of this story has been updated with the full statement.”

Despite the adjustment, the White House maintains its demand for a full retraction, arguing that the initial omission sensationalized the report and caused unnecessary public alarm. Officials and sources continue to stress that there is no credible or imminent threat, with multiple law enforcement insiders describing the intelligence as cautionary and not indicative of an active plan.

The White House’s callout underscores the importance of accuracy in reporting sensitive intelligence, particularly amid heightened U.S.-Iran tensions. By initially excluding the “unverified” descriptor, ABC’s story may have portrayed the alert as more substantiated than it was, potentially heightening public concern without full context. While the update provides additional transparency, a complete retraction would better align with journalistic standards to prevent misinformation, especially on matters of national security.

This incident highlights ongoing issues with legacy media outlets’ handling of leaked or internal government communications. The full FBI bulletin remains restricted, but the disclosed portions emphasize its preliminary nature.