White House UFC fight a huge success, despite planned attack thwarted by FBI officials

Law enforcement says it stopped an alleged plot to attack the White House UFC fight event with drones carrying explosives and gunfire aimed at people fleeing the scene. Five people were arrested nationwide and charged with conspiracy to commit murder, according to court papers made public Tuesday and reporting from NBC News.

Investigators said they recovered firearms, ammunition, and encrypted messages from 19 suspected participants. The messages included maps, photos of the area, and discussions about escape routes after the attack, according to court documents reported by BBC News and CBS News.

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White House event went ahead

According to NBC News, FBI Director Kash Patel said on X that agents learned of the threat on Wednesday, June 10, four days before the mixed martial arts event on the South Lawn. He noted that the FBI, its partners, and the Justice Department acted in a multi-state operation that “stopped cold” the alleged attacks.

Secret Service Director Sean Curran said his agency worked closely with the FBI throughout the investigation, per a statement posted on X and reported by NBC News. CBS News added that the alleged plan also involved senior officials and other high-value targets.

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At the event itself, UFC CEO Dana White said the White House card was a “one-of-one” experience and added, “It will never happen again,” according to NPR. White said the show exceeded UFC’s goals, while President Donald Trump called the night “PERFECT!” on Truth Social, per NPR.

The event featured a patriotic program, a White House tour for fighters, and a title win by Justin Gaethje, who shook hands with Trump after the bout, NPR confirmed. According to the same report, White also said UFC would not return to the White House because of the cost and logistics, including a reported $60 million tab.