United States law enforcement authorities prevented a possible attack on a UFC event at the White House on Sunday (14), which was attended by President Donald Trump and other high-ranking officials, said FBI Director Kash Patel.
“Thanks to the quick action of the FBI, our partners and the Department of Justice in a multi-state operation, several people are now in custody and the allegedly planned attacks were thwarted,” Patel wrote in X on Tuesday (16).
According to a report from the American channel Fox News shared on social media by the director of the FBI, the plan involved the use of drones and snipers.
Also according to the channel, which cites unidentified authorities, five people were detained and investigators identified 23 people in a “possible network of conspirators”.
The plan consisted of using drones to target buildings near the White House during the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) fight and trigger a mass evacuation that “drew the crowd toward a previously positioned sniper team,” says Fox News.
There were also plans to storm the gates of the White House with a “second wave”, according to the report.
Trump has been the target of several assassination attempts in recent years, most recently when a gunman tried to break into a dinner with journalists at the White House in April.
UFC EVENT
The event, held on Trump’s 80th birthday on Sunday, was also part of the government’s celebrations of the nation’s 250th anniversary.
The competition began hours after Trump and Iranian officials announced they had reached a peace deal to end the four-month war between the two countries, which has sent consumer prices to the highest level in three years and left voters uneasy.
Within minutes of heading to his seat in the front row — while the Navy band played AC/DC’s “Thunderstruck” live — Trump was already posting details about the Iran deal on social media and speaking by phone with journalists.
Inside the octagonal wire cage, sponsorships from major American corporations and some of Trump’s political allies — including video streaming platform Rumble RUM.O, shipping technology company EasyPost and conservative group Turning Point USA — covered the tarp.
Several winning fighters greeted Trump after their fights. American fighter Bo Nickal, after his knockout victory, jumped over the cage fence to shake hands with Trump. Another victorious fighter, heavyweight Josh Hokit, gave Trump an object that he hung around the president’s neck before delivering an expletive-filled speech that included praise for the president and ended with a misogynistic dig at former first lady Michelle Obama.
After the competition, UFC chief executive Dana White reiterated his opinion that the event should not be seen from a political perspective.
“On the 250th birthday of the United States, I hope tonight has created some unity,” said White, a longtime friend of the president. “Even for people who thought this was going to be a big political statement or something. It wasn’t. It was Americans, all Americans, celebrating the anniversary.”
