The FBI announced on Tuesday that it had successfully thwarted a potential attack on the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) event held at the White House last weekend, resulting in multiple arrests.
Details of the Foiled Attack
The UFC event, which took place on the White House lawns on Sunday, was attended by President Donald Trump, his cabinet members, and special invitees. Tens of thousands of spectators gathered at South Park near the White House to watch the event live on giant screens.
FBI Director Kash Patel stated in a post on X: "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 and thanks to the rapid action of this 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."
Scope of the Plot
According to Fox News, five people were in custody as of Monday, and investigators identified 23 individuals as part of a potential network of plotters. The alleged plan involved using explosive-laden drones to strike buildings near the event, forcing a mass evacuation and steering crowds toward a pre-staged sniper team. A "second wave" was reportedly planned to storm the White House gate.
Patel emphasized the routine nature of such investigative work: "While the result represented the best of investigative work, it was also nothing out of the ordinary for this law enforcement team. We are built to detect, respond to, and bring to justice those who threaten the lives of American citizens - particularly during large gatherings like the historic UFC 250 fight."
Secret Service Director Sean Curran said in a separate statement that his agency "worked around the clock to identify those responsible and hold them accountable."
Arrests and Suspects
Fox News reported that arrests were made in Cincinnati, California, Missouri, and Nebraska. Multiple sources indicated that those in custody are American citizens, with no foreign nexus involved.
Court documents identified the suspect as 19-year-old Tycen Proper, who was arrested in Cincinnati. According to a criminal complaint, Proper allegedly spent $3,000 of his "graduation money" to purchase "lots of" ammunition, guns, extra magazines, and other items for the alleged attack. Investigators uncovered Signal chats in which multiple people allegedly discussed attacking the UFC event. An initial review of one suspect's iPhone identified at least 23 Signal users discussing pre-operational activity.
Some of those involved allegedly planned to travel to Fredericksburg, Virginia, on June 12 or 13 to prepare for the attack. One suspect allegedly told investigators the goal was to target "capitalist elites," "billionaires," or politicians who received donations from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee.
Reactions
Vice President JD Vance, reacting to the news on "FOX & Friends" Tuesday, called it "very, very dark stuff." He added: "This is what happens when people turn the rhetoric up so loud that disagreeing with somebody is a cause for violence. We got to tell everybody to tone it down."
