FBI says it disrupted a planned attack tied to anti-Israel and anti-capitalist suspects before the UFC event on the White House lawn, arresting multiple people and preventing what officials call a coordinated, multi-state plot.
The FBI announced early action stopped a plot aimed at the UFC America 250 event on the White House grounds, with Director Kash Patel naming the agency’s rapid, multi-state response. The disruption came after investigators detected a threat that involved individuals outside the National Capital Region. Officials say the move prevented what could have been a deadly, chaotic attack during a large public gathering.
According to the account released by the bureau, the alleged plan involved weaponized drones intended to cause explosions near buildings, followed by snipers targeting people trying to flee. After those initial attacks, a group of assailants would have attempted to reach White House grounds amid the chaos. It was the sort of coordinated, layered violence that terrorism investigators fear most at high-profile events.
Federal authorities reported arrests in connection with the plot, and investigators identified a wider network of people allegedly involved in the planning. Five people had been taken into custody early in the probe, while officials say investigators uncovered roughly two dozen participants tied into varying roles.
Investigators found some suspects were communicating on encrypted apps, with evidence pointing to motives that blended anti-Israel sentiment and radical economic grievances. Prosecutors say some messages explicitly mentioned harming AIPAC donors and targeting “capitalist elites,” tying political hatred to plans for violence. That blend of ideological targets made the case especially concerning for both domestic security and political safety.
“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 Justice in a multi-state operation, multiple individuals are now in custody and allegedly planned attacks were stopped cold,” Patel posted on X. The bureau said the arrests were the product of coordinated tips and investigative work across several jurisdictions.
https://x.com/FBIDirectorKash/status/2066835691506471290
“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, encouraging people to send in tips. Law enforcement officials stressed that vigilance and public reporting were key elements in disrupting plots before they reach the execution phase.
“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,” he added. U.S. Secret Service Director Sean Curran said the “most important responsibility is safeguarding the President and every person under Secret Service protection.”
“The U.S. Secret Service worked closely with the FBI throughout this investigation. 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. 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,” Curran stated.
