A potential White House threat linked to an MMA tournament held to mark US President Donald Trump’s 80th birthday was prevented by the FBI, according to the agency’s director.
FBI chief Kash Patel said on Tuesday in a post on X that several individuals are currently in custody and alleged planned attacks had been stopped.
“Multiple individuals are currently in custody and the alleged planned attacks were disrupted,” Patel said.
He added that individuals involved in the alleged plan were located outside the Washington area but did not provide further details.
Multi-state operation carried out
Patel praised what he described as the rapid intervention of the FBI, its partners and the US Department of Justice during an operation carried out across several states.
He also said authorities would continue to provide updates as permitted by law.
Trump celebrated birthday with MMA event
President Donald Trump marked his 80th birthday on Sunday by transforming the South Lawn of the White House into an arena for MMA fighters during a high-profile event with a strong political dimension.
More than 4,000 invited guests attended the event around the fighting cage.
Among those present were Meta chief executive Mark Zuckerberg and Paramount head David Ellison, whose network held exclusive broadcasting rights for the event.
Large crowd gathered outside venue
Reports indicated that around 100,000 spectators also gathered in a nearby park to watch the fights on a giant screen.
Authorities have not yet released further information regarding the nature of the alleged threat or those detained.
Source: CNA
Also read: Trump marks 80th birthday with historic UFC event at White House
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