Federal Bureau of Investigation foiled an alleged plan targeting Sunday’s Ultimate Fighting Championship event at the White House and arrested several individuals, according to agency director Kash Patel.
Court documents unsealed on Tuesday indicate that elements of the alleged plot included plans to attack nearby structures using drones fitted with explosives.
According to court filings, one of the suspects was taken into custody in Ohio last week after investigators reportedly accessed Signal messages linked to other individuals allegedly involved in the scheme. He is facing charges of conspiracy to commit an offence against the United States and attempted murder of a federal officer.
“Allegedly planned attacks were stopped cold,” Patel said in a social media post on Tuesday about the “multi-state operation”.
The court documents state that the alleged plan involved using drones to trigger panic, forcing crowds to flee toward a position where a sniper team would be stationed. A “second wave” of attackers was then reportedly intended to attempt a breach of the White House gate.
Federal prosecutors, in documents unsealed on Tuesday, said the investigation began after a 19-year-old Ohio man, Tycen Proper, was identified as being in contact with an online group allegedly promoting “ultra-religious and anti-government sentiments.”
The case came to the attention of authorities after the suspect’s mother alerted local law enforcement over concerns about his increasing firearms purchases and the nature of his online communications.
According to court documents, the group allegedly aimed to “jumpstart” a revolution by carrying out shootings against so-called “high-value targets,” described as wealthy individuals and political figures attending the event.
The filings further state that members of the group discussed a range of grievances, including claims of government corruption, concerns over the handling of the Epstein files, the impact of data centres on community water supplies, and other government-related issues.
In an interview with the FBI on June 11, Proper allegedly acknowledged that he was involved in planning the coordinated plot. He further stated that the individuals began communicating in March 2026 through a TikTok group known as “Vanguard of the Old.”
Fox News reported that five individuals had been taken into custody.
At a separate briefing on Tuesday, Secret Service Deputy Director Matt Quinn was questioned about the disrupted plot and described it as a “serious threat.”
He told reporters he was unable to share extensive details as the investigation is still active, but confirmed that “there are still suspects at large, and we’re going to work it until everyone’s been identified.”
In a statement, Secret Service Director Sean Curran said the agency collaborated closely with the Federal Bureau of Investigation during the investigation, adding that official remarks detailing the case will be presented through court filings.
On Sunday, the White House South Lawn was used to host a series of Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) bouts as part of celebrations marking the nation’s 250th anniversary.
About 4,300 guests reportedly attended the invite-only event held on the White House South Lawn, while an additional 85,000 people watched from a nearby fan zone. The event featured 14 fighters competing in a series of consecutive bouts.
The event also took place alongside President Trump’s 80th birthday. Several members of his administration attended, along with a number of celebrity guests.
The foiled plot follows a shooting incident two months earlier at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, an event attended by President Trump, as well as another case last month in which a man was shot and killed by Secret Service agents after opening fire at a White House checkpoint.
