FBI says it disrupts plot targeting White House UFC event

The FBI disrupted an alleged multi-state plot to attack a UFC event held Sunday at the White House, taking multiple people into custody before any attack could be carried out, FBI Director Kash Patel said Tuesday.

Patel said in a post on X that the FBI and law enforcement partners became aware on June 10 of “a potential threat to the UFC America 250 event in Washington, D.C. involving individuals outside of the National Capital Region.”

“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 wrote.

Two sources told CBS News the alleged plan involved explosive-laden drones striking buildings in the area, followed by sniper attacks on crowds as people fled. The sources said the plot also included a “second wave” in which others would try to storm the White House gate.

NBC News said it had not confirmed those details, which were first reported by Fox News. A senior law enforcement official told NBC News the plot was “quite serious.”

CBS News reported that after authorities learned of the alleged threat last week, a suspect was taken into custody in Cincinnati. Investigators then obtained Signal chats in which multiple people allegedly discussed attacking the UFC event, leading to additional arrests, CBS reported.

The motives of the alleged planners have not been released.

The White House hosted UFC America 250 on Sunday as part of celebrations marking the nation’s 250th anniversary. CBS News reported that the event took place on President Donald Trump’s 80th birthday. Thousands of people gathered to watch fights on the White House South Lawn, where Trump sat in the front row.

There was a large visible law enforcement presence in and around the White House complex over the weekend. Roads were blocked, fencing was used to control crowds, and hundreds of federal, state and local officers were deployed around the thousands of people at or near the White House.

Secret Service Director Sean Curran said Tuesday that the agency had worked “closely with the FBI throughout this investigation,” adding that “formal comments regarding the specifics of this case will be made available in court filings.”

Patel praised the law enforcement response, saying it “represented the best of investigative work” and was “nothing out of the ordinary for this law enforcement team.”

“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,” Patel said. “That’s exactly what we did here.”

An FBI spokesperson referred NBC News to Patel’s post when asked for comment. The White House did not immediately provide comment to NBC News.

The alleged plot follows a series of political violence incidents and attempted attacks in recent years. NBC News reported that in April, a man allegedly armed with guns and knives ran through a security checkpoint at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. The suspect, Cole Tomas Allen, pleaded not guilty to charges of attempting to assassinate the president. CBS News described that incident as an April 27 shooting that targeted the dinner.

Trump also faced two assassination attempts in 2024: a shooting at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, and a later incident in which a man aimed a rifle through bushes at Mar-a-Lago while Trump was playing golf.

NBC News also reported that a Minnesota state lawmaker and her husband were killed last year in what authorities called a “politically motivated” attack. The suspect, Vance Boelter, has pleaded guilty. Months later, conservative activist Charlie Kirk was shot and killed at a political event.

Threats against lawmakers have also risen. The U.S. Capitol Police said they investigated nearly 15,000 “concerning statements, behaviors, and communications” targeting lawmakers, their families, staff or the Capitol last year, up from more than 9,000 potential threats the year before.