UFC White House was an instant classic event that will likely never be replicated, but a planned terrorist attack could have derailed the event and caused serious repurcussions.
The UFC was the talk of the town in Washington, D.C., on Sunday. The combat sports promotion took over the White House and showcased the very best they had to offer in what is being considered a true one-off show on the Presidential residence south lawn. Weather scares and federal lawsuits threatened to disrupt in the weeks prior, but a much more sinister outcome was reportedly prevented on June 14.
The FBI and Secret Service were quick to respond, thrwarting a coordinated terrorist act involving an estimated 23 people intending to target UFC Freedom 250. The criminals allegedly planned to bomb nearby buildings using weaponized drones, hoping to cause a mass evacuation and lure those fleeing the destruction toward a pre-staged sniper team.
Following the first attack, a second wave was planned, which would see the terrorists storm the White House gate amid the commotion, according to reports.
As of Monday, June 15, five people were taken into custody, revealing the aforementioned 23-person network of culprits.
Tycen Proper, 19, was identified as one of the suspects in court documents. A criminal complaint indicates that Proper spent upwards of $3,000 to purchase firearms, ammunition, and several other items expected to be used in the planned attack, with the ammunition boxes reportedly containing thousands of rounds.
Thankfully, the U.S. Secret Service and the FBI were well informed and managed to prevent any such plan of terror from materializing.
“In the days leading up to this weekend, our special agents, mission support personnel, and technical security teams worked around the clock to identify those responsible and hold them accountable,” Secret Service Director Sean Curran explained. “Equally important to our protective mission is ensuring accountability through the justice system. To that end, our formal comments regarding the specifics of this case will be made through court filings.”
After numerous arrests were made, investigators explored Signal messages, where a web of connections planning pre-operational activity was uncovered.
FBI Director Kash Patel is keen on sharing a positive relationship with the UFC and its fighters. As the plot unraveled and law enforcement did its job, Patel praised his team for their efforts.
“While the result represented the best of investigative work, it was also nothing out of the ordinary for this law enforcement team,” Patel stated. “We are built to detect, respond to, and bring to justice those who threaten the lives of American citizens—particularly during large gatherings like the historic UFC [Freedom] 250 fight.”
“That’s exactly what we did here.”
Sitting ringside with his good friend Dana White, President Donald Trump was in attendance at the White House during the event. One suspect is said to have told investigators that the politically motivated plot was targeting “billionaires,” “capitalist elites,” and politicians who benefited from funding for the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, likely making Trump a prime target in their hunt.
On Tuesday, Trump was questioned about the terrible scenes that almost unfolded days earlier. According to the 80-year-old, he wasn’t informed about such rumors, but did take the time to express his admiration for the UFC Freedom 250 event.
“I haven’t heard about it,” Trump claimed. “The attack that I watched were the fighters… They were as good a fights as I’ve ever seen, the best.”
“The last fight was brutal, and the two last—all of the fights were good. It was all good, it was a great evening. It was very different for the White House.”
