Federal authorities say they disrupted an alleged terror plot targeting a high-profile UFC event held at the White House over the weekend, leading to multiple arrests and an ongoing nationwide investigation.
Officials told reporters that investigators uncovered plans that allegedly involved explosive-laden drones, sniper attacks, and an attempted breach of White House grounds during the UFC Freedom 250 event in Washington, D.C.
According to officials, the FBI first became aware of the potential threat on June 10 and quickly coordinated with law enforcement partners across multiple states.
Authorities said at least five suspects have been taken into custody, while investigators continue working to identify additional individuals who may have been involved in planning the alleged attack.
The investigation reportedly expanded after agents uncovered encrypted Signal chats involving at least 23 users allegedly discussing pre-operational activity related to the event.
Officials said some participants were believed to be planning travel to Fredericksburg, Virginia, in the days before the UFC event as preparations allegedly moved forward, according to Fox News.
Investigators allege the plan involved using explosive-laden drones to strike buildings near the event, triggering panic among attendees and forcing a mass evacuation.
Authorities said the alleged objective was to direct fleeing crowds toward a pre-positioned sniper team.
Officials further alleged that a second wave of participants intended to exploit the chaos and attempt to storm a White House gate, according to Just the News.
One of the first arrests occurred in Cincinnati after authorities secured probable cause, according to investigators.
Officials said agents in at least 12 FBI field offices assisted with the multi-state investigation.
They also indicated that additional arrests and charges remain possible as the investigation continues.
Fox News reported that one suspect allegedly told investigators the intended targets included “capitalist elites,” “billionaires,” and politicians who had received donations from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee.
Authorities have not yet released full details about the suspects or any formal indictments related to the alleged plot.
FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed the arrests and praised agents involved in the operation.
“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 CapitalRegio—andd 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 on X.
Patel said the operation demonstrated the FBI’s ability to rapidly respond to emerging threats against large public gatherings.
“While the result represented the best of investigative work, it was also 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 added. “That’s exactly what we did here. I want to thank our great agents and partners, this work remains ongoing and we will continue to update the public as permitted.”
The alleged plot targeted UFC Freedom 250, an event held on the White House South Lawn as part of President Donald Trump’s birthday weekend celebrations.
The gathering brought an estimated crowd of 4,300 people, with around 1,200 active-duty military members in attendance.
The investigation comes amid heightened concerns about security threats and political violence directed at public officials and major public events.
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