FBI Foil Planned Drone and Sniper Attack Targeting White House UFC Event
WASHINGTON — Federal authorities have disrupted a sophisticated plot to launch a mass-casualty attack using explosive-laden drones and snipers during a historic Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) event hosted on the White House grounds over the weekend, according to recently unsealed court records.
The FBI has taken five suspects into federal custody following a coordinated multi-state operation.
The objective was to trigger a chaotic stampede, driving high-profile attendees and lawmakers toward exits where pre-positioned snipers were waiting to open fire.
The targeted event, UFC Freedom 250, took place on the South Lawn to mark the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence and coincided with President Donald Trump’s 80th birthday.
Despite the underlying threat, the high-security sporting event proceeded smoothly without disruption. President Trump, senior Republican lawmakers, administration officials, and major political donors were among those in attendance.
Extremist Motivations and Tiered Coordination
According to FBI affidavits, the detained individuals hold deep-seated anti-government beliefs.
Investigators noted that the group's motives stemmed heavily from grievances surrounding the government's handling of investigative files related to deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Additionally, communications showed that at least one suspect expressed an intent to target politicians who accepted campaign contributions from pro-Israel advocacy organizations.
"Law enforcement became aware of a potential threat originating outside the National Capital Region on June 10,"
FBI Director Kash Patel stated via social media.
The suspects—identified as individuals from Ohio, Missouri, Nebraska, and California—allegedly utilized the encrypted communication platform Signal to structure their operation into distinct specialized "tiers," separating planners, drone operators, logistics teams, and field attackers.
How the Scheme Unraveled
The entire operation began to fall apart when the mother of a 19-year-old suspect from Ohio, Tycen Proper, alerted local law enforcement to her son's suspicious online activity and heavy weapons purchases.
At least three of the five primary suspects currently face federal charges of conspiracy to commit murder, alongside additional counts of weapons offenses and conspiracy to commit offenses against the United States.
Reacting to the news from the G7 summit in Evian, France, President Trump indicated he had not been fully briefed on the specific operational details during the event.
Meanwhile, Vice President JD Vance emphasized that the scale of the plot implies an established underlying infrastructure.
"An operation involving dozens of individuals preparing a mass terror event in the capital does not happen without significant coordination and financial backing," Vance remarked, calling it a highly calculated terrorist plot rather than isolated extremism.
