“EXPLOSIVE DRONES”: FBI Foiled Massive Terror Plot at UFC America 250 Event in Washington, D.C on Trump’s Birthday

The FBI disrupted an alleged plot to attack a UFC event in Washington, D.C. and possibly the White House using explosive drones. Multiple suspects were arrested across several states before any attack was carried out. The investigation is ongoing.

One of the goals of the far left plot was to target “capitalists” and pro-Israel politicians.

This is the American left.

The plan involved using explosive-laden drones to hit buildings near the event, force a mass evacuation and steer crowds toward a pre-staged sniper team, officials said.

Multiple suspects were arrested across several states before any attack was carried out

“The alleged plan involved using explosive-laden drones to hit buildings near the event, force a mass evacuation and steer crowds toward a pre-staged sniper team, officials said.

A “second wave” was then allegedly planned to storm the White House gate, according to officials.”

@JonathanTurley – "The government is not the only party preparing for the July 4 celebrations. Terrorist organizations are drawn to these same events." pic.twitter.com/5e2Y5nGnlT

— liten drage (@DrageLiten) June 16, 2026

The FBI disrupted an alleged plot to attack a UFC event in Washington, D.C. and possibly the White House using explosive drones. Multiple suspects were arrested across several states before any attack was carried out. The investigation is ongoing. pic.twitter.com/33YHNM3obd

— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) June 16, 2026

BI Director Kash Patel:

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.

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. That’s exactly what we did here. I want to thank our great agents and partners, this work remains ongoing and we will continue to update the public as permitted.

We continue to encourage any American to report anything suspicious at 1-800-CALL-FBI or http://tips.fbi.gov.”

FBI arrests 5 people in connection with drone attack plot against White House UFC Freedom 250 event https://t.co/4Y8PM51m8n pic.twitter.com/s38htL5hI9

— New York Post (@nypost) June 16, 2026

BREAKING: Details via federal arrest affidavit reveal that a California man named Michael Alan Thomas was one of the alleged organizers of the alleged UFC White House terror plot. Feds say he admitted he believes the U.S. government is run by elites who sacrifice and eat… pic.twitter.com/L8i1bTR9Em

— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) June 16, 2026

BREAKING: Tycen Proper, of Ohio, has been arrested by the FBI for allegedly planning a terrorist attack to bomb the America 250 UFC event.

Proper reportedly planned to use explosive drones to target buildings in the area. Multiple other suspects have also been arrested in… pic.twitter.com/928WzcLWrZ

— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) June 16, 2026

Michael Thomas and Tycen Proper have been identified.

FBI arrests 5 people in connection with drone attack plot against White House UFC Freedom 250 event (NY Post)

The multi-phase terror attack allegedly involved using explosive-laden drone aircraft to strike buildings in the vicinity of the event, sparking mass panic and driving the fleeing crowd toward a sniper team poised to pick them off, officials told Fox News Digital.

Upon investigating a suspect’s iPhone, authorities found at least 23 users of encrypted chat app Signal involved in discussing parameters of what could have been a devastating terror attack in the heart of the nation’s capital.

A suspect told investigators the goal of the attack was to target “capitalist elites,” “billionaires” and politicians who received money from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), according to the outlet.

FBI disrupts alleged explosive-drone plot targeting White House UFC event, officials say

Signal chats allegedly revealed 23 people discussing pre-operational activity

By Sophia Compton, Fox News, June 16, 2026:

FIRST ON FOX: The FBI and its law enforcement partners disrupted an alleged plot targeting this weekend’s UFC Freedom 250 event in Washington, D.C., officials told Fox News Digital.

Five people were in custody as of Monday, and investigators identified 23 people as part of a potential network of plotters. The alleged plan involved using explosive-laden drones to hit buildings near the event, force a mass evacuation and steer crowds toward a pre-staged sniper team, officials said.

A “second wave” was then allegedly planned to storm the White House gate, according to officials.

placeholder
The FBI first learned of the threat on June 10 and worked with partners to secure probable cause for an arrest in Cincinnati, where one suspect was taken into custody.

Fireworks explode as crowds gather for UFC Freedom 250 on the South Lawn of the White House on June 14, 2026, in Washington, D.C. (Jacquelyn Martin – Pool/Getty Images)

Investigators later 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, officials said.

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.

The investigation stretched across at least 12 FBI field offices.

FBI Director Kash Patel credited the FBI, the Department of Justice (DOJ) and law enforcement partners with acting quickly across multiple states to prevent the alleged attack.

“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,” Patel said in a statement to Fox News Digital.

Patel said the operation showed the FBI’s ability to respond quickly when threats emerge.

“While the result represented the best of investigative work, it was also nothing out of the ordinary for this law enforcement team,” Patel said. “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. That’s exactly what we did here.”

“I want to thank our great agents and partners, this work remains ongoing, and we will continue to update the public as permitted,” Patel added.

The alleged plot targeted UFC Freedom 250, a high-profile White House event held on the South Lawn as part of President Donald Trump’s 80th birthday weekend.

The event drew an estimated 4,300 attendees, including about 1,200 active-duty service members, as 14 fighters from around the world competed inside a wire-mesh cage Sunday night.

The alleged plot comes amid a growing series of threats and security incidents involving Trump and senior administration officials, fueling heightened concerns about political violence.