President Trump revealed Wednesday that he’s been briefed on the possibility Iranian terrorist sleeper cells could be activated to attack Americans.

The president indicated he was aware of an alarming FBI memo issued to law enforcement in California, warning that Iran could deploy drones from a vessel off the Golden State coastline to attack the mainland. 

“It is being investigated but you have a lot of things happening, and all we could do is take them as they come,” Trump told reporters after arriving back in Washington after a trip to Kentucky.

President Donald Trump speaks to reporters after arriving on Air Force One, Wednesday, March 11, 2026, at Joint Base Andrews, Md. AP

“The war itself is being prosecuted as well as anyone has ever seen,” the president added.

He blamed former President Joe Biden for the potential presence of Iran-aligned terrorists in the US. 

“I have been [briefed on Iranian sleeper cells] and a lot of people came in through Biden with his stupid open border, but we know where most of them are,” Trump said.  

“We got our eye on all of them, I think.” 

The FBI had alerted state officials of the Iranian-originated threat in February, but California Gov. Gavin Newsom didn’t let that stop him from criticizing Trump’s military operation.

The Bureau’s alert said: “We recently acquired information that as of early February 2026, Iran allegedly aspired to conduct a surprise attack using unmanned aerial vehicles from an unidentified vessel off the coast of the United State Homeland, specifically against unspecified targets in California, in the event that the US conducted strikes against Iran.”

Iran has showed off a sprawling underground network of tunnels filled with row after row of drones and rockets. Telegram/ FarsNA

Police stand on a vehicle during funerals for members of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps in Tehran on March 11, 2026. Getty Images

“Drone issues have been top of mind,” Newsom said during a news conference Tuesday to announce new funding for mental health and drug treatment as it relates to homelessness.

“We’ve been aware of that information, we’ve been working collaboratively with the [State Operations Center],” he said.

The 58-year-old, seen as a frontrunner for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2028, said he has not spoken to the commander in chief directly about the threat. 

A Thai cargo ship burns in the Strait of Hormuz after being struck by an Iranian missile on March 11, 2026. ROYAL THAI NAVY/HANDOUT/EPA/Shutterstock

Smoke rises from a burning building hit by an Iranian drone strike, after Israel and the U.S. launched strikes on Iran, in Seef district, Manama, Bahrain, February 28, 2026. REUTERS

“I haven’t talked to the president directly about this and I wish the president would talk to the American people about what this is all about, what’s the end game?” Newsom said.

“We’ve seen no real end game in sight when it comes to the Strait of Hormuz,” Newsom said. “Uncertainty is the most certain feature of the Trump administration.”

The “critical” threat comes as the Iranian regime works to rebuild after a large portion of its leadership, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and 40 senior military officials, were wiped out on the first day of the joint US-Israel operation.

Khamenei’s son, Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei, was elevated to succeed his deceased father, but the nepo-leader has not been seen.

Conflicting reports state that the younger Khamenei was either critically injured in the strike that killed his father or that he is in hiding, fearing for his life.

Khamenei’s son, Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei, was elevated to succeed his deceased father, but the nepo-leader has not been seen. ISNA/AFP via Getty Images

Speculation of the new supreme leader’s whereabouts increased on Wednesday after he no-showed at his own succession rally in Tehran as thousands celebrated his elevation.

Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) has called for Israel to assassinate Mojtaba, not even three days into the job.“

They should kill him, too,” Fetterman said on NewsNation Wednesday, referring to Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei, adding that the world is “100%” better with his father dead.