Federal authorities disrupted an alleged plot to attack the UFC Freedom 250 event held on the White House South Lawn. Five men planned to use explosive-laden drones to force evacuations before shooters targeted politicians and high-value targets.
The event drew President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. It also served as a showcase for crypto firms, with Crypto.com, World Liberty Financial, and Polymarket participating through sponsorships.
According to court filings, the suspects communicated via a TikTok group called "Vanguard of the Old" before moving to Signal. Their grievances included government corruption, the handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files, and the spread of AI data centers. The investigation started after a family member contacted law enforcement, and officials confirmed the event was never at risk due to the rapid multi-state operation.