At least five people have been detained in a conspiracy that allegedly involved 23 people, according to US media reports.
Published June 16, 2026
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) announced that multiple people are in custody after thwarting a “planned attack” targeting a UFC event at the White House on Sunday.
FBI Director Kash Patel said Tuesday that the agency first learned about the threat on June 10. It was just days before a mixed martial arts event was held on the South Lawn of the White House to celebrate President Donald Trump’s birthday and commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
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“Thanks to the swift action of the FBI, our partners, and the Department of Justice in a multi-state operation, multiple individuals are now in custody and the alleged planned attack was thwarted in cold blood,” Patel said in a post on X.
The station did not specify the nature of the threat, but Fox News Digital reported that in a post linked to X, Patel planned to use explosive-laden drones to attack buildings near the event.
The report implicates 23 people in the alleged plot, which alleges that the would-be attackers were planning a “second wave” aimed at storming the White House gates during the event.
The Fox News report claimed that an unspecified number of conspirators planned to travel to Virginia between June 12 and 13 in preparation for the attack, according to Signal chats obtained by federal law enforcement officials.
Five people were arrested from states including Ohio, Missouri and California, The Associated Press reported, citing anonymous sources familiar with the matter.
The Secret Service “worked around the clock to identify and hold those responsible accountable,” Secretary Sean Curran said in a separate statement.
Vice President J.D. Vance said authorities are trying to investigate the underground networks that cause such violence.
“Without significant funding and careful coordination, 23 people would not be able to commit a major terrorist attack in Washington, D.C.,” Vance said in an interview with Fox News.
“There are a lot of people doing crazy things. It’s an organized, planned terrorist plot,” he said on Fox News’ “Fox & Friends.”
President Trump said at the Group of Seven summit in Evian, France, that he had no knowledge of the planned attack.
