FBI says it foiled attacks targeting White House UFC event

Federal authorities disrupted alleged planned attacks targeting a UFC event staged on the White House South Lawn, and multiple people are now in custody, FBI Director Kash Patel said Tuesday.

Patel said the FBI first learned of the possible threat on June 10, four days before the mixed martial arts event tied to President Donald Trump’s birthday and the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

“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 in a post on X.

Officials had not immediately disclosed the nature of the alleged threat. More details were expected after charges are unsealed later Tuesday.

Five people were arrested from states including Ohio, Missouri and California, The Associated Press reported, citing a law enforcement official familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss information that was not yet public.

Fox News reported that investigators had identified 23 people potentially involved in a plot to attack the event. Patel linked to the Fox report in his post on X. According to Fox, officials said the alleged plan included using explosive-laden drones, snipers and possibly storming the White House gate. Al Jazeera reported, citing Fox News Digital, that the alleged plot included plans to use explosive-laden drones to strike buildings near the event and a “second wave” intended to storm the White House gates.

Fox also reported that an unspecified number of alleged plotters planned to travel to Virginia on June 12 and 13 in preparation for the attack, citing Signal chats obtained by federal law enforcement officials. There was no immediate indication of how realistic or advanced the alleged plot had become.

The first arrest took place in Cincinnati, Ohio, after the FBI learned of the threat, Fox reported.

The Secret Service said its personnel had worked intensively before the event. “In the days leading up to this weekend, our special agents, mission support personnel, and technical security teams worked around the clock to identify those responsible and hold them accountable,” Secret Service Director Sean Curran said in a statement quoted by Fox. “Equally important to our protective mission is ensuring accountability through the justice system. To that end, our formal comments regarding the specifics of this case will be made through court filings.”

Vice President JD Vance, speaking in an interview with Fox News, said authorities were examining what he described as broader networks that could support such violence.

“Twenty-three people do not get to the point where they’re going to commit a mass terror incident in Washington, DC without some serious funding, without some serious coordination,” Vance said. “That’s not a few guys doing crazy stuff, that is a coordinated, planned terrorist plot.”

Trump, who celebrated his 80th birthday at the UFC event on Sunday, sought to connect the fights with broader celebrations marking the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. At the Group of Seven summit in Evian, France, Trump said he had not been aware of the planned attack, Al Jazeera reported.