The US Justice Department has charged at least five people in connection with an alleged plot targeting the Ultimate Fighting Championship event at the White House over the weekend, court records unveiled on Tuesday said.
The FBI learned about the plot on June 10, four days before the mixed martial arts event took place on the White House's South Lawn to mark Donald Trump's 80th birthday.
“And 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," FBI Director Kash Patel wrote to X.
Law enforcement learned about the alleged plot after the mother of one of the accused first contacted local police, according to an FBI affidavit filed in the case.
The FBI then identified a group of conspirators who procured weapons and made detailed plans to carry out the attack.
