By Holmes Lybrand, Kaanita Iyer, Hannah Rabinowitz, CNN
(CNN) — Federal officials have arrested multiple people who they claim discussed plots to attack the UFC fight night event at the White House, including by using drones and a gunman, a federal law enforcement official told CNN.
A team including the Secret Service and FBI uncovered messages discussing the plot between multiple individuals, according to the official.
FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed the arrests in a post on X, adding that the effort to stop the “allegedly planned attacks” was a “multi-state operation” and involved actors from outside the Washington, DC, area.
The federal law enforcement source said the group discussed in messages attaching deadly payloads to drones in order to cause mass panic as well as using a gunman to shoot at the crowds. It is currently unclear how far the group was in the planning before law enforcement became aware of the messages.
Charges are expected to be unsealed this morning, another person familiar with the situation told CNN. Arrests were made across four federal districts.
The FBI declined to provide additional details. Fox News first reported on the thwarted potential attacks.
Around 100,000 people gathered for the UFC fighting event, which was held Sunday as part of programming for America’s 250th anniversary. It also coincided with President Donald Trump’s 80th birthday.
The event, which was held in an arena built on the White House South Lawn, also featured a festival for fans on the Ellipse.
The Secret Service handled all security on the White House grounds while Park Police was the “point” on the Ellipse, CNN previously reported. DC Metropolitan Police handled everything outside the Ellipse, including multiple street closures.
It took about 19 months of planning and weeks of set up to bring Trump’s vision together. The roughly $60 million price tag was footed by the UFC, though the federal government was in charge of “first aid/medical services, law enforcement, and security,” according to White House management and administration director Joshua Fisher.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
The-CNN-Wire™ & © 2026 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.
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