FBI Director Kash Patel claimed on Tuesday that his agency, in partnership with other law enforcement partners, foiled an apparent “explosive-drone plot targeting the White House” Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) event on Sunday.
“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 wrote in a statement published on social media.
The New York Post also reported Tuesday that “five suspects” were arrested as part of the operation, which was an alleged “multi-phase terror attack allegedly involved using explosive-laden drone aircraft to strike buildings in the vicinity of the event” designed to spark “mass panic and [drive] the fleeing crowd toward a sniper team poised to pick them off,” details reportedly provided by U.S. officials to Fox News.
“A ‘second wave’ of attackers then allegedly planned to storm the White House gate, officials said,” the Post reported.
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