In a dangerous and unprecedented security breach, unidentified drones were spotted flying over the U.S. Army base where Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth are living.
The massive breach rattled the nation’s capital during a war with Iran, where Iranian forces have vowed revenge on American leaders.
Multiple drones were detected over the Washington, D.C. Army base Fort McNair on a single night, according to sources. Officials have not determined where the drones came from, or who was operating them.
The security breach prompted an emergency White House meeting to discuss how to respond, and if the U.S. Army should move both cabinet secretaries off the base entirely.
Fort McNair is just minutes from the White House and Capitol Hill. It houses the National Defense University and some of the United States’ most senior military officers.
American military bases across the country have been put on elevated alert over the ongoing war with Iran.
The State Department also issued a global directive ordering all U.S. diplomatic posts worldwide to immediately conduct security reviews.
Fort McNair officials acknowledged the situation in a statement.
“We are aware of the reported drone sightings near Fort McNair and the surrounding areas. We are working with our law enforcement and interagency partners to monitor and investigate the reported sightings,” the statement read. “Currently there is no credible threat to Fort McNair, but we will continue to monitor the situation and adjust force protection measures as needed.”
Several Trump administration officials have recently moved onto military bases for security. In addition to Rubio and Hegseth, White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller and Attorney General Pam Bondi are among those now living in military housing.
Iranian targeting of American officials has remained a persistent threat since the 2020 U.S. strike that killed Iranian Gen. Qasem Soleimani. During the 2024 presidential campaign, unidentified drones repeatedly appeared near Donald Trump at public events and during motorcades, and officials warned him that Iran was targeting him on American soil.