FBI Director Kash Patel said Tuesday that law enforcement officials disrupted “planned attacks” meant to target the Ultimate Fighting Championship cage fighting show staged at the White House on Sunday, and that five individuals were arrested from states including Ohio, Missouri, and California.
The nature of the potential threat was not immediately disclosed. Patel said additional details are expected to be released once charges are unsealed later Tuesday.
“Thanks to the rapid action of the 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 said Tuesday in a post on X.
The FBI learned about the possible threat on June 10, four days before the mixed-martial arts event held on the South Lawn, Patel said.
A law enforcement official familiar with the matter said five people have been arrested. The official spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity to discuss information that was not yet public. The official did not provide additional details about the nature of the plot.
Fox News, citing unidentified officials, reported that investigators had identified 23 people potentially involved in a plot to attack the event. The network reported that the alleged plan involved using explosive-laden drones and snipers and possibly storming the White House gate. There was no indication of how realistic or advanced the plot had become. Patel on Tuesday posted a link to the Fox News story.
The Secret Service also issued a statement Tuesday.
“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 Sean Curran, the Secret Service director. “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.”
The UFC event, “Freedom 250,” was held on the White House South Lawn on Sunday as part of President Donald Trump’s 80th birthday weekend. Trump tied the fights to larger celebrations of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
The arrests come amid heightened security concerns at the White House after an attempted assassination during the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in April.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.