The FBI intercepted a coordinated weekend plot involving explosive drones and a sniper ambush targeting the White House South Lawn during a UFC fight event, FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed Tuesday morning.
According to law enforcement sources speaking to Fox News, the attackers planned to launch explosive drones into buildings near the event to panic the crowd, driving spectators directly into a waiting sniper ambush. From there, the group allegedly planned to storm the White House gates. The plot reportedly aimed to target politicians funded by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), “capitalist elites,” and “billionaires.”
Five suspects are currently in custody, but the operation is still unfolding. Federal agents first discovered the threat on June 10 after intercepting encrypted Signal chats where 23 people were “discussing pre-operational activity.” The multi-state sweep has since expanded across at least 12 different FBI field offices.
The targets were gathered for “UFC Freedom 250” on Sunday, an outdoor event celebrating President Donald Trump’s 80th birthday. Roughly 4,300 people were in attendance, including 1,200 active-duty service members and 14 international fighters, meaning nearly 4,500 lives were put in jeopardy.
Patel praised the swift joint effort in a post on X on Tuesday.
“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 wrote. He added, “I want to thank our great agents and partners, this work remains ongoing and we will continue to update the public as permitted.”
The Secret Service worked side-by-side with the FBI throughout the operation. Secret Service Director Sean Curran released a statement pointing to the legal road ahead.
“Our most important responsibility is safeguarding the President and every person under Secret Service protection,” Curran said. “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.”
President Trump has not yet commented publicly on the thwarted attack. The incident marks the latest in a series of security scares involving the President, following a May incident at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner where an active shooter fired multiple rounds inside the hall.
READ: ‘Fake News By Dumocrats’: Trump Blasts Cash Rumors, Warns Iran Ahead Of Historic Peace Deal
Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism. Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality, local, and national news coverage.
Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox.
