U.S. authorities say they uncovered an alleged mass-casualty plot targeting a major White House event held on Sunday for President Donald Trump’s 80th birthday. Prosecutors said five suspects, arrested before the event, planned to fly drones packed with explosives over the venue to trigger panic and force attendees and “high-value targets” toward an evacuation point in the south of the complex.
Court records say five sniper teams were supposed to be waiting at that evacuation area, with instructions to kill the “high-value targets” first and then target response forces, including Secret Service personnel, National Guard troops and SWAT units. Among the people allegedly marked as targets were Trump, Vice President JD Vance, businessman Elon Musk, and even Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who was not present at the event.
Investigators also say the group considered breaking into a U.S. military ammunition plant in Kansas to obtain explosives after concluding they lacked the know-how to build bombs themselves. They allegedly discussed setting up safe houses and bunkers after the attack, and even the possibility of breaking associates out of prison if they were arrested.
According to the FBI, the motive combined extreme anti-government ideology, antisemitic beliefs and outlandish conspiracy theories. One suspect, a 19-year-old from Ohio, reportedly financed much of the equipment with about $3,000 in graduation money and used it to buy thousands of rounds of ammunition, ballistic vests and rifles. The investigation is ongoing.
