The FBI said it thwarted an alleged plot involving drones that would have disrupted Sunday’s Freedom 250 UFC event on the South Lawn of the White House, agency director Kash Patel announced on Tuesday.
Five people were in custody as of Monday, Patel said in a social media post and in a statement to Fox News Digital.
The nature of the potential threat was not immediately disclosed, The Associated Press reported. Additional details were expected to be released once charges are unsealed later Tuesday.
According to Fox News Digital, FBI investigators had identified 23 people involved in the alleged scheme. The plan, which was allegedly formulated “outside of the National Capital Region,” resulted in one arrest in Cincinnati. The news outlet cited unnamed sources in its report.
The AP, also citing anonymous law enforcement sources “familiar with the matter,” said that some of the suspects were arrested in Ohio, Missouri and California.
The official spoke to news organization on the condition of anonymity to discuss information that had not been released publicly.
According to Fox News Digital, the alleged plan involved using drones filled with explosives to hit buildings near the seven-card mixed-martial arts event, which would result in a mass evacuation.
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… pic.twitter.com/PbWkIk1Lr5
— FBI Director Kash Patel (@FBIDirectorKash) June 16, 2026
That would result in crowds being directed toward an area where snipers were allegedly posted, the news outlet reported.
A second phase allegedly called for storming the White House gates, Fox News Digital reported.
Investigators said they reportedly uncovered encrypted Signal chats with at least 23 people allegedly talking about using the drones during the UFC event.
Patel said the FBI learned about the alleged plot on June 10. The FBI executed a search warrant in Cincinnati, where the first arrest was made.
“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 statement posted on X. “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. That’s exactly what we did here.”
In a separate statement, Secret Service Director Sean Curran said that his agency “worked around the clock to identify those responsible and hold them accountable,” the AP reported.
The Freedom 250 event drew an estimated 4,300 attendees to the South Lawn of the White House, including about 1,200 active‑duty service members, WTTG reported.
The event was staged to coincide with President Donald Trump’s 80th birthday on Sunday and the upcoming celebrations marking America’s 250th anniversary of independence.
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