A terrorist plot to attack the UFC Freedom 250 event on the White House South Lawn last Sunday with explosive drones, a sniper team, and a ground assault on the White House gate was disrupted by the FBI just days before President Donald Trump and 4,300 guests, including 1,200 active-duty service members, took their seats for the fights.
FBI Director Kash Patel announced Tuesday that five people are now in federal custody following a massive multi-state operation spanning at least 12 FBI field offices, with 23 additional individuals identified in Signal chats discussing pre-operational plans for an explosive drone attack.
“On June 10, FBI and our law enforcement partners became aware of a potential threat to the UFC America 250 event in Washington, D.C. involving individuals outside of the National Capital Region — and thanks to the rapid action of this FBI, our partners, and the Department of Justice in a multi-state operation, multiple individuals are now in custody and allegedly planned attacks were stopped cold,” Patel said.
The alleged plot was reportedly complex and involved multiple stages.
In the first phase, the suspects planned to use explosive-laden drones to attack the White House, deliberately triggering a mass evacuation of the 4,300-person crowd packed onto the South Lawn. As panicked attendees fled into the open, including President Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, their family, and more than a thousand uniformed service members, sniper teams would open fire into the crowd. The third phase called for a second armed terror group to attack the White House gate itself.
Investigators said at least 23 people were discussing the planned terror attack before FBI agents began making arrests. When agents drilled into chats among the group, they found multiple people allegedly coordinating pre-operational activity, including plans for some suspects to travel to Fredericksburg, Virginia, on June 12 or 13, two days before the event, to stage themselves for the attack.
One suspect, when questioned, told investigators the stated goal was to target “capitalist elites,” “billionaires,” or politicians who had received donations from AIPAC, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee.
At least one person in custody is from Cincinnati, Ohio. The full identities of all five suspects have not yet been released.
The event itself — held June 14 on Trump’s 80th birthday as part of America’s 250th anniversary celebration — drew 14 top fighters from around the world competing in the first professional sporting event ever held on White House grounds. Trump, Melania, and several members of their family were photographed inside the octagon after the main event.
Patel credited the rapid, coordinated law enforcement response for preventing what could have been one of the deadliest attacks on American soil in decades.
“We are built to detect, respond to, and bring to justice those who threaten the lives of American citizens — particularly during large gatherings like the historic UFC 250 fight,” he said.
The investigation remains active, Patel said.