- Alleged plan also involved storming White House gates: report.
- At least five people were taken into custody, according to Fox News.
- Vance describes the plan as a “planned and coordinated terrorist plot.”
U.S. law enforcement officials said Tuesday they had foiled a plot to attack the White House during a mixed martial arts event featuring President Donald Trump and other top officials.
“Thanks to the rapid action of this FBI, our partners and the Department of Justice as part of a multi-state operation, several individuals are now in custody and the allegedly planned attacks have been stopped in their tracks,” FBI Director Kash Patel announced on X.
His post included a caption of a Fox News headline: “FBI disrupts alleged explosive drone plot targeting UFC event at White House, officials say.”
Trump joined thousands of fans Sunday at the unprecedented fights at the White House, where a temporary arena nicknamed “The Claw” was erected on the South Lawn.
Fox News reported that five people had been arrested, according to unnamed U.S. officials, as investigators identified 23 people in a “potential network of conspirators” who allegedly communicated in a Signal group chat.
The plan reportedly involved using drones to strike buildings near the White House during the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) contest, causing a mass evacuation that would “direct crowds toward a pre-organized sniper team.” Fox News said.
There were also plans to storm the gates of the White House with a “second wave,” according to the report.
It was unclear whether those involved in the alleged plot took steps to carry out an attack. The White House is protected by intense surveillance, fencing, checkpoints, anti-air attack capabilities, snipers, and a standing group of rapid reaction forces.
Asked for more details about Patel’s announcement, the FBI responded AFP “We have nothing to add to the message at this time.”
Vance target left
The June 14 “UFC Freedom 250” event — which also fell on Trump’s 80th birthday — was supposed to kick off this year’s festivities for the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence.
Fox News reported that the FBI became aware of the threat on June 10.
“Protective intelligence cases are growing, and our teams are working tirelessly behind the scenes to investigate threats, identify those responsible, and ensure accountability,” the U.S. Secret Service said in a statement on X.
“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,” said Secret Service Director Sean Curran.
Trump has faced several assassination attempts in recent years, most recently when a gunman tried to storm a White House press gala he was attending in April.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance, who also attended the UFC event, said Tuesday morning during an appearance on Fox News that he had just learned of the alleged plot.
When asked why the FBI revealed the foiled plot — a step it doesn’t always take for various security reasons — Vance pointed to the possible “scale of the planned attack.”
He described the alleged plan as a “planned and coordinated terrorist plot” and cited the Trump administration’s work to investigate the financing and coordination networks of left-wing radical groups.
Vance did not provide further details on the identities of the alleged suspects or their motivations, but nonetheless accused Democrats of fomenting violence with anti-Trump rhetoric.
“Everyone has a role to play in stopping these things, but I think a lot of my Democratic colleagues in Washington need to look in the mirror and ask, ‘Why is so much political violence coming from our side of the spectrum?’” he said.
The White House has repeatedly claimed that Trump’s critics and the media are responsible for rising political tensions in the country. Trump’s opponents say the 80-year-old Republican’s often incendiary rhetoric against opponents, immigrants and the electoral system is to blame.
