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Fireworks during the UFC Freedom250 fight on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC, US, early on Monday, June 15, 2026.
Saul Loab | Bloomberg | Getty Images
The FBI disrupted an alleged plot targeting Sunday's UFC cage-fight event at the White House, FBI Director Kash Patel said Tuesday.
"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," Patel wrote in a post on X.
Patel said the FBI, the Justice Department and other law enforcement partners moved quickly in a multistate operation, putting "multiple individuals" in custody and stopping "allegedly planned attacks" before they were carried out.
The FBI director did not identify the people arrested, describe a motive or provide details about the alleged plot.
Patel shared a Fox News story that reported the alleged plan involved using drones carrying explosives to strike buildings near the event, followed by sniper fire at crowds fleeing the area and an attempt by others to storm the White House gate. CNBC has not independently confirmed those details.
Asked about the alleged plot Tuesday at the Group of Seven summit in France, Trump said, "I haven't heard about it."
"The attack that I watched was the fighters," he added.
A spokesperson for the FBI referred CNBC to Patel's post. The Justice Department declined to comment.
"President Trump and the entire Administration are grateful to the FBI [and] Secret Service, and every heroic member of law enforcement who works tirelessly to keep us safe. Thanks to their efforts, UFC Freedom 250 will be remembered as one of the greatest sporting events in history," White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt posted on X.
Secret Service Director Sean Curran said in a statement on X that his agency "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," Curran wrote.
The Secret Service's formal comments on the details of the alleged plot would come through court filings, Curran said.
US President Donald Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, Dana White, president of Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), and guests in the Octagon during the UFC Freedom250 fight on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC, US, early on Monday, June 15, 2026.
Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images
The UFC event brought thousands of people to the White House complex and drew an enormous law enforcement presence in and around the area. Roads near the White House were blocked off, fencing was used to control crowds and federal, state and local law enforcement officers were deployed around the event.
The alleged plot adds to a run of security threats and political violence involving Trump, elected officials and high-profile public events.
In April, a man allegedly armed with guns and knives ran through a security checkpoint at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner. He later pleaded not guilty to charges of attempting to assassinate the president.
Trump also faced two assassination attempts during the 2024 campaign: one at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, and another at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida.
Dana White, the president and CEO of UFC, is scheduled to appear on CNBC later Tuesday. This story will be updated with any comments he makes about the alleged plot and security around the White House event.
