President Donald Trump on Wednesday said that United States authorities know the location of “most” suspected Iranian sleeper cells in the country, as officials have warned about political retaliation linked to the war with Iran.
Speaking to reporters before boarding Air Force One, Trump said U.S. intelligence and law enforcement agencies are closely monitoring suspected operatives tied to Tehran.
“I have been [briefed], and a lot of people came in through Biden and his stupid open border,” the president said. “We know where most of them are. We’ve got our eye on all of them. I think.”
Sleeper cells are covert networks of operatives who blend into society and remain inactive for extended periods until they are directed to carry out attacks or intelligence operations.
Trump had previously said, “I guess,” when asked if Americans should be worried about covert Iranian operatives in the U.S., adding that Iranian attacks in the U.S. are the cost of war.
His remarks come as the FBI previously said it was monitoring the possibility of Iranian sleeper cells being activated on U.S. soil.
U.S. intelligence officials recently intercepted encrypted communications believed to have originated from Iran that could serve as an “operational trigger” for sleeper assets outside the country, according to a federal report circulated to law enforcement agencies.
Trump also gave further insight into the battlefield ability of U.S. forces, saying the military has only done a portion of the damage it could.
“We could take apart their electric capacity within one hour, and it would take them 25 years to rebuild it,” the president said. “Ideally, we’re not going to be doing that.”
Also on Wednesday, tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital artery for oil transports near Iran, reached a new fever pitch as several boats were attacked trying to pass through. Tehran has said that any boats transporting cargo, including oil tankers, would be considered a legitimate target.
However, Trump said the strait is in “great shape” as U.S. forces have countered Iranian defense abilities in an effort to lower oil prices that have increased as a result of conflict in the waterway.
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Trump declared earlier in the day that the war had been “won.”
“They are pretty much at the end of the line,” Trump told reporters later Wednesday. “Doesn’t mean we’re going to end it immediately, but they’ve got no navy, no air force … no systems of control.”
