Overview
- Federal authorities announced criminal charges against five men after the FBI said it disrupted a planned attack on the UFC event held on the White House South Lawn for President Trump’s birthday.
- Investigators say they were first alerted to a possible threat by encrypted chats and a family tip and began tracking suspects around June 10, leading to arrests in Ohio, California, Missouri and Nebraska.
- Unsealed court affidavits include maps, chat screenshots and photos that prosecutors say show a multi‑stage plan to use explosive‑equipped drones to force evacuations and to direct fleeing crowds toward armed shooters.
- One of the defendants is a 19‑year‑old who was reported to police by his mother and whose home yielded weapons, ammunition and documents identifying potential targets, according to Justice Department filings.
- The arrests and charges come as the White House event drew sharp cultural criticism for hosting an arena MMA spectacle on the South Lawn and for an in‑arena remark about Michelle Obama that provoked public backlash.