Eight men have been charged in the United States over an alleged plot to carry out coordinated drone and sniper attacks on a UFC event attended by President Donald Trump at the White House, with federal prosecutors saying the plan was disrupted before it could be be executed.

Eight men have been charged in the United States in connection with an alleged plot to attack a UFC event attended by President Donald Trump, according to federal prosecutors.

The Guardian reported on Friday, July 10, that a federal grand jury in Ohio indicted the defendants on July 9 on multiple terrorism-related charges. Prosecutors accused the men of participating in two separate conspiracies involving providing material support to terrorists, plotting murder on federal property, conspiracy to assassinate a federal official, and other weapons-related offenses.

According to the indictment, the alleged conspiracy began in May, when members of the group allegedly acquired firearms, ammunition, explosives, drones, sniper rifles, body armor, encrypted communications equipment, medical supplies and tactical gear in preparation for the attack.

Court documents cited by The Associated Press said the alleged targets included President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, technology entrepreneur Elon Musk, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and thousands of spectators expected to attend the “Freedom 250” UFC event at the White House.

Federal investigators said intelligence gathered several days before the event alerted U.S. military and law enforcement agencies to the alleged threat, allowing authorities to identify suspects, disrupt the operation and prevent the planned attack before it was carried out.

The U.S. Department of Justice said the defendants were arrested in coordinated operations across several states, including Ohio, Missouri, Washington, Nebraska and California. If convicted, some of the charges carry the possibility of life imprisonment or lengthy federal prison sentences.

Prosecutors allege the defendants were motivated by extremist conspiracy theories and believed that assassinating senior U.S. political leaders would trigger widespread instability and undermine the federal government. The Justice Department has not alleged that the plot advanced beyond the planning stage.

The alleged conspiracy comes amid heightened concerns over threats against public officials in the United States following a series of politically motivated attacks and assassination attempts in recent years. Federal authorities have repeatedly warned that domestic violent extremism remains among the country’s most significant security threats.

The defendants have not entered final pleas on the charges, and the allegations contained in the indictment have not been proven in court. Under the U.S. legal system, all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Khaama Press was established in 2010. It is one of the leading news outlets reporting from Afghanistan on a 24/7 basis.

KP publishes stories and news articles in 3 languages including English, Persian (Farsi) and Pashto.

© 2010-2026 The Khaama Press - All Rights Reserved | Designed by: ZubLink