As Trump shrugs off possible Iran attacks at home, experts see increased risk
The war has fueled concerns that Iran’s operatives, or those acting in its name, could target the United States.
You're reading an excerpt from Al-Monitor Washington, where we break down the latest in US-Middle East diplomacy. To read the full newsletter, sign up here.
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he is not worried about Iran-backed attacks on US soil, even as security experts warn a weakened Tehran is likely to resort to unconventional warfare that could include attacks on the homeland.
That concern is underscored by the US intelligence community's annual threat assessment from 2025, which said Iran remains determined to build “surrogate networks inside the United States.” That warning takes on new urgency amid the current war, where US and Israeli strikes since Feb. 28 have killed many of Iran’s top leaders, sunk its warships and crippled its military.
At the outset of the war, FBI Director Kash Patel said he put the bureau’s counterterrorism and intelligence teams on high alert, and the Department of Homeland Security has warned of the potential for Iran and its proxies to “escalate retaliatory actions” inside the United States, according to a law enforcement bulletin obtained by ABC News.