The FBI disrupted an alleged plot to attack the Ultimate Fighting Championship event held on the White House South Lawn, Director Kash Patel said Tuesday, announcing multiple arrests in a multi-state operation. The mixed-martial-arts card, staged over the weekend to mark President Donald Trump’s birthday and the build-up to the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, drew a large crowd to the South Lawn.
According to a criminal complaint unsealed Tuesday, the group planned to fly explosive-laden drones at the north side of the White House complex to trigger a mass evacuation, then use armed attackers to target fleeing crowds and a security checkpoint in a "second wave." Prosecutors say the aim, in the words of one suspect, was to "jumpstart" an armed revolution.
Tycen Proper, a 19-year-old from Ohio, was charged with firearms offences and attempted murder of a US officer or employee. Four other people were arrested in Ohio, Missouri and California, authorities said, with additional charges expected. The FBI said it first learned of the threat on June 10, days before the event.
Investigators obtained encrypted messages exchanged among roughly 20 people who, according to the complaint, shared detailed maps of the area and discussed the need for a "safe house" and escape routes. A group that originated on the social platform TikTok, calling itself "Vanguard of the Old," allegedly began coordinating in March and later moved to the encrypted messaging app Signal.
"Thanks to the rapid action of the 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 wrote in a post on X on Tuesday morning.
The UFC event went ahead without incident, and officials stressed that the public was not in danger once the arrests were made. The bureau did not detail how far the alleged plotters had progressed in acquiring drones or explosives, and the complaint indicates the investigation is continuing.
Holding a UFC card on the White House grounds was an unusual decision that had drawn scrutiny from security analysts well before the event. The South Lawn sits within the most heavily protected airspace in the country, where temporary flight restrictions and counter-drone systems are routinely in force during high-profile gatherings.
Federal prosecutors are expected to seek detention for the defendants as the cases proceed. The Justice Department said charging documents for the remaining suspects would be made public in the coming days, and the FBI urged anyone with information about the group to come forward.