The FBI says it has disrupted an alleged plot targeting the UFC event held at the White House this past weekend, which fell on President Trump's 80th birthday. According to the account, the bureau first learned of a potential threat to the UFC Freedom 250 event in Washington, D.C., on June 10 and worked with partners to act on it. The scheme reportedly involved the use of explosive drones, and five people are now in custody as investigators work to establish the full scope of what was being planned.
The alleged plan, as it has been described, centred on flying drones carrying explosives into the area and using them to hit buildings, causing panic and forcing a mass evacuation of people from the event. It was, by the account given, intended to be carried out in layers rather than as a single act.
After triggering that evacuation, the plotters allegedly intended to rush a security checkpoint, adding a second stage to the attack as crowds began trying to move away from the scene. The idea, according to the description, was to exploit the confusion created by the first phase.
A further element described involved pre-staged snipers positioned to shoot people who were fleeing, potentially at locations such as metro stops and subways where those leaving would be further from a heavy law enforcement presence. That part of the plan, investigators suggested, would have required a greater degree of expertise than the rest.
Investigators believe the plot was not the work of a small handful of people alone. While five people have been taken into custody, sources indicate that at least 23 people are thought to have been involved in some way, pointing to a wider network behind the alleged scheme.
According to the account, some of the plans were discussed on encrypted chat services, with Signal mentioned among the platforms used. The FBI is also said to have intercepted communications involving others through WhatsApp or similar sites, which helped expose the scale of those taking part.
The investigation is described as far from over. With so many people potentially connected to the plan, authorities are now working to determine who those involved were in contact with, and whether the same blueprint could have been directed at other locations beyond the one targeted.
It was also noted that while learning to fly drones and fit them with explosives is unfortunately within reach of many people today, given how widely drones are now used, positioning trained snipers would demand a higher level of skill. The sheer number of people involved, it was suggested, also made the plan harder to keep concealed, which can help explain how it came to light. Among the threads investigators have pointed to is the involvement of a family member, underscoring how tips from those close to a plot can prove pivotal.
In a briefing, the US Secret Service confirmed it had led the investigation alongside the FBI and said it chose not to make the case public earlier in order to maintain the integrity of the security plan and the ongoing inquiry. Officials described it as an active plot involving drones, snipers and other techniques aimed at the event, while stressing that the event itself was never at risk because of the investigative work and the heightened security measures put in place.
The Secret Service said its advanced threat interdiction unit had got on top of the case early and that the effort involved partners across government. Officials said there had been arrests but declined to give exact numbers or charges, adding that suspects remained at large and that the investigation would continue until everyone involved was identified. They also noted a significant rise in threat cases, up 40% this year, while FBI Director Kash Patel said the work remained ongoing and urged the public to report anything suspicious.
Court documents later unsealed in the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Ohio charged a 19-year-old identified as Tyson Proper, described as one of the alleged ringleaders of the group. According to the filings, those involved were said to have been motivated by an extreme religious ideation and a stated desire to overthrow the U.S. government.
The authorities were first alerted on June 10, when, according to the account, the Knoxville Police Department went to Proper's home after his parents reported that he had been amassing weapons and having concerning conversations online on a Signal group. He was later interviewed after being committed to a medical facility and is said to have admitted to the plot, which initially involved a group of about 19 people before breaking into smaller chats of four to five. Investigators have indicated that further suspects, in states including West Virginia, Missouri and California, could be named as more documents are unsealed.