The FBI defended on Monday its decision to approve the recent UFC fight at the White House, which was held after investigators accused nearly two dozen people of plotting to attack the event, including several who were still at large when the historic cage match was held.
FBI Deputy Director Chris Raia said he was confident the “main plotters” accused of planning to attack the June fight with explosive-laden drones and snipers had been apprehended before it was held, making officials “very comfortable” with approving the event to proceed on schedule, despite other suspects being on the loose. In an interview with Fox News Digital, Raia explained that the FBI and Secret Service made the decision to move forward with the UFC fight because they were surveilling the remaining suspects and believed none were in the Washington, D.C., area when the event was held.
“We were confident that we had [arrested] the leaders, the main plotters of that, so the rest of the folks were more of the followers,” he said.
However, Raia said the case is far from closed, revealing that 14 to 15 FBI field offices are still assisting in the investigation.
“We’re going to continue to work that case aggressively,” he said. “You uncover one layer, and you see four more layers.”
The saga began just four days before the June 14 fight, which was attended by President Donald Trump and top Cabinet officials. FBI Director Kash Patel said he first learned of the conspiracy to sabotage tens of thousands attending the fight with explosive-laden drones and snipers on June 10. He said that prior to the fight, the FBI arrested five people in connection with the plot.
But the search remained for others suspected of being tied to the potentially deadly mass attack on thousands gathered for the White House cage match. Days after the fight, the FBI announced it had arrested two others in connection with the plot. William Lee Spartacus Falkner was arrested on June 19. Jordan Rincker was arrested on June 21, a week after the fight was held.
The FBI believes around 19 people were involved in a Signal chat discussing plans to attack the fight.
President Donald Trump, at right wearing a white hat, congratulates Justin Gaethje after Gaethje defeated Ilia Topuria in a lightweight title bout during UFC Freedom 250 on the South Lawn of the White House, Monday, June 15, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, Pool)
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Trump has said he was not informed about the alleged plot prior to attending the fight. However, the president made a dark joke about possibly being targeted by terrorists just before the fight, according to podcaster Joe Rogan, who was the master of ceremonies for the UFC event on the White House’s South Lawn.
FOUR FORMER PRESIDENTS UNITE WITH HOPEFUL MESSAGE AHEAD OF AMERICA 250
“I said to Trump, I go, ‘I hope we don’t die in a terrorist attack,’” Rogan said, recounting his fear of being attacked at the high-profile event. “He goes, ‘We got to go somehow.’”
“I go, ‘What the f***, dude?’” Rogan continued, laughing.
