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How did the FBI stop alleged drone attack at Trump’s White House UFC event? What Kash Patel claimed

FBI Director Kash Patel said Tuesday that federal authorities thwarted an alleged attack plot targeting President Donald Trump’s UFC event held at the White House over the weekend.

Kash Patel, director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), speaks during a roundtable at the Department of Justice (DOJ) in Washington, DC, on, June 11, 2026. (Bloomberg)

The event, called UFC Freedom 250, took place on the White House lawn Sunday night. Patel said the FBI uncovered communications on the encrypted messaging app Signal involving 23 individuals allegedly discussing “pre-operational activity” connected to the event.

According to Patel, the FBI and its law enforcement partners became aware of the threat on June 10 and launched what he described as a “multi-state operation” involving the Department of Justice and other agencies.