A former FBI agent has called on President Trump to issue a strong warning to Iran in light of potential threats posed by the country’s sleeper cells ahead of the World Cup.
With the FIFA World Cup set to begin in June, Jonathan Gilliam, a former Navy SEAL and FBI special agent, has advised Trump to communicate a clear message to Iran: refrain from any hostile actions or face severe repercussions.
“I hope the president makes it clear before the World Cup that any aggressive move by Iran will not just provoke a retaliatory strike, but it will halt all negotiations and lead to a comprehensive dismantling of the Iranian regime,” Gilliam stated.
Fans wave an American flag before the second leg of the 2024 Concacaf Nations League quarterfinal match between Jamaica and the United States at Citypark in St. Louis, Missouri, on November 18, 2024. (Joe Puetz/ISI Photos/Getty Images)
Additionally, Gilliam suggested a bold approach for Trump to convey his warning to Iran.
“I think if the president did that, and he showed that he was very serious, gave some sign, dropped a MOAB in the middle of nowhere in Iran and said, ‘this is what’s going to occur if you if you touch anyone in the United States.’ … This is what’s coming to you,” Gilliam said. “A MOAB, that’s the largest non-nuclear conventional bomb in the world in history. And you can drop that somewhere and make a dramatic impact if the president was to show force like Iran does.”
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be hosted across North America, with matches scheduled in cities throughout the United States, Mexico, and Canada. (Olivianna Calmes/Unknown)
“They play diplomat, but they understand force, and so I would recommend that the president examine possibilities like that and that he makes it known that ‘you do anything here, then that’s it,’” he added.
Gilliam said that there are already sleeper cells in the U.S. The question is whether they will be activated to carry out an attack during the World Cup.
“The probability may vary, so the numbers game, is it 100% guaranteed, is it 50% guaranteed? That’s always a game that you really don’t want to play,” he said. “All of these things are going to play into the fact that sleeper cells have always been, for any of these events in the United States and around the world, have always been a possibility.“
His warning comes at a time when negotiations between the U.S. and Iran appear to be breaking down, with Trump responding “TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE!” to Iran’s recent response to a U.S. ceasefire proposal.
The president addressed the Iranian sleeper cell threat in early March, pushing blame onto former President Biden for letting them into the country.
Transit officials are preparing for an unprecedented number of riders during World Cup matches this summer. (Luke Hales/Getty Images)
“I have been (briefed), and a lot of people came in through Biden with his stupid open border,” Trump told Fox News’ Peter Doocy. “But we know where most of them are. We’ve got our eye on all of them.”
$625 million is being distributed to secure the World Cup after being passed by Congress and signed by Trump, which is being directed to law enforcement agencies to cover overtime costs.
In total, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has spent nearly $900 million toward securing the World Cup, according to a news release from the agency.
The World Cup starts on June 11 and runs through July 19 and the United States will host 78 World Cup matches, while Mexico and Canada will host the rest.
Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment.