REPORT: FBI STOPPED VIOLENT TERRORIST PLOT AIMED AT UFC WHITE HOUSE, DONALD TRUMP RESPONDS

UFC White House might have avoided more than just a little bad weather.

WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 14: A general view during the UFC Freedom 250 Fan Fest at The Ellipse on June 14, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Zuffa LLC)

On Tuesday, Fox News reported that FBI officials disrupted an alleged terrorist plot that involved explosive drones and snipers with the target being attendees of this past Sunday’s UFC event, which took place on the South Lawn of the White House, with President Donald Trump and numerous officials and VIPs watching, as well as at the nearby Ellipse Park, where nearly 80,000 fans were expected to be in attendance.

According to the report, the alleged plot would have seen explosive-laden drones strike buildings at the event with the intention to force an emergency evacuation. People would then be steered towards an area where they could be shot at by snipers. A “second wave” would then directly attack the White House gates.

UFC White House took place June 14, and the potential threat was reportedly first discovered by the FBI on June 10, with the alleged suspects gathering for final preparations in Fredericksburg, Va. One suspect was taken into custody in Cincinnati and, as of Monday, five suspects are in custody with investigators identifying 23 people as being involved in the plot.

“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 said in a statement to Fox News. “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.”

Ahead of Sunday’s event, which was first announced in June 2025, much of the talk revolved around how UFC CEO Dana White and his team would deal with the numerous logistical issues involved with putting on a show at the White House, with security being a chief concern. Weather was also a major topic of discussion, though the event proceeded with only a delay to the start time despite inclement weather in the surrounding areas.

FBI Director Kash Patel praised his team for preventing the alleged plot.

“While the result represented the best of investigative work, it was also nothing out of the ordinary for this law enforcement team,” Patel said. “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.”

At the G7 summit in Évian-les-Bains, France, on Tuesday, Trump was asked about the FBI stopping the alleged plot and he replied that he wasn’t aware.

“I haven’t heard about it,” Trump said. “The attack that I watched were the fighters. … They were as good a fights as I’ve ever seen, the best. That 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.”

In the main event of Sunday’s card, Justin Gaethje scored a dramatic fourth-round knockout over Ilia Topuria to unify the UFC lightweight titles, while Ciryl Gane became interim heavyweight champion a second time with a knockout over former two-division champion Alex Pereira.

- Alexander K. Lee

CHAMA! | ALEX PEREIRA COLDEST WALKOUT AT THE WHITE HOUSE

 

PRESIDENT TRUMP ATTENDS UFC FREEDOM 250 FIGHT AT THE WHITE HOUSE ON HIS 80TH BIRTHDAY

 

DONALD TRUMP TAKES ANITHER SHOT AT CANADA WHILE CELEBRATING FLORIDA PANTHERS

U.S. president congratulated the Florida Panthers on their Stanley Cup win during a ceremony at the White House.

Members of the Florida Panthers look on as U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a ceremony to honour the 2025 Stanley Cup champions on Thursday, Jan. 16, 2026. Getty Images

Donald Trump has never been shy about firing off an unprovoked shot or two whenever he can.

The U.S. president had one ready and waiting on Thursday, a little dig at his neighbours to the north during a ceremony celebrating the Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers.

While speaking during the champions’ traditional White House visit, Trump made sure to make note of how long it has been since a Canadian franchise has hoisted the Cup.

“You denied Canada the Stanley Cup for the 32nd straight year,” Trump said during the ceremony, referencing the Cup drought of teams from the Great White North.

“We have a little competition with Canada,” Trump continued after applause. “They’re great people, though. They’re great people.

“We’re doing much better than Canada, but that’s OK, right? We want them to do well and they’re gonna do well.”

The Panthers defeated the Edmonton Oilers in the Cup final last summer for the second consecutive season. Connor McDavid and Co. were attempting to become the first Canadian team to hoist the Stanley Cup since the Montreal Canadiens won in 1993.

It should also be noted that while a Canadian-based franchise hasn’t won the Cup in more than three decades, the Panthers current roster features 13 players from Canada and that Conn Smythe Trophy winner Sam Bennett hails from Holland Landing, Ont.

The Panthers made their White House visit during a rare three-day break in their busy schedule. They’ll be back in action on Friday night, playing in Raleigh against the Carolina Panthers. They then return to Washington on Saturday for a game against the Capitals.

Trump’s rivalry with Canada

This wasn’t the first time Trump has remarked on the on-ice rivalry between Canada and the U.S. The 79-year-old head of state waded into the discourse during last year’s 4 Nations Face-Off, an event that came at a time when Trump had been calling for Canada to become the ‘51st State’ and referred to then-prime minister Justin Trudeau as the “governor” of Canada.

Team Canada beat the Americans in the final of the tournament, but the 4 Nations was marred by the booing of the rival country’s national anthem in both Montreal and Boston.

It wouldn’t be far-fetched to think that there will be animosity between the Canadian and American teams should they meet at next month’s Winter Olympics in Milano-Cortina, Italy.

What else did Trump say?

As he has in past championship celebrations at the White House, Trump gushed over the players’ physiques and good looks.

“Good-looking people, young beautiful people, I hate them,” he said, alluding to the NHLers stealing his spotlight.

“You hate standing here with all this power behind you. But I got power too. It’s called the United States military.”

Trump, who has outfitted with the White House with much golden decor, was gifted a golden hockey stick by the team.

After spotting the stick during his speech, Trump admitted to wanting it before joking that as president, he could take it if he wanted to.

- Dan Bilicki

CRISTIANO RONALDO SELFIE IN THE WHITE HOUSE

 

TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ALLOCATES $500 FOR DRONE DEFENCE AHEAD OF 2026 WORLD CUP - POLITICO

DJI Mavic 3 Pro drone. Source: www.gncstore.com.tr

The Trump White House is launching a $500 million program to counter drones to ensure security during the 2026 World Cup, the 250th anniversary of US ependence's 2028 Olympic Games. These funds are intended to support local authorities in developing drone defense strategies.

Donald Trump's White House is launching a large-scale program to develop and implement anti-drone technologies worth $500 million. The initiative is aimed at strengthening security during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be held in the USA, Canada, and Mexico, as well as during the celebrations of the 250th anniversary of US independence and the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. This is stated in the Politico article, writes UNN.

Details

According to Andrew Giuliani, director of the White House World Cup Task Force, the administration is allocating these funds to support local and state authorities in creating strategies to protect against drones that could threaten the security of stadiums and mass gatherings.

Everyone – from governors to chief stadium security officers – says this is exactly what they need to protect the venues (of the World Cup – ed.)

– Giuliani emphasized in an interview with Politico.

TRUMP ANNOUNCES WASHINGTON D.C. TO HOST 2027 NFL DRAFT

Reuters 

WASHINGTON - The National Football League will host its 2027 draft in Washington, D.C., U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Monday at the White House, bringing the league's biggest off-season event to the nation's capital for the first time since 1940.

The three-day event that regularly attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors is expected to take place on the National Mall, a stone's throw from the White House

"The draft is a celebration of one of our country's most cherished cultural institutions," said Trump, speaking from inside the Oval Office.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell told reporters he expects more than one million visitors at the 2027 draft, far more than the estimated record 775,000 who attended the 2024 edition in Detroit.

The announcement comes days after the Washington Commanders struck a deal with the District of Columbia to return to the site of the club's former RFK Stadium, where Washington played from 1961-1996 and enjoyed the most successful era in franchise history.

The new stadium is expected to open in the nation's capital in 2030.

Commanders owner Josh Harris, who agreed to buy the team in 2023 after a turbulent period under previous owners Dan and Tanya Snyder, was in attendance to present the U.S. president with a team jersey with "Trump" emblazoned on the back.

"You are the ultimate commander, so it is a Commanders jersey," said Harris.

The draft has rotated through multiple cities since the NFL ended New York's five-decade-long reign as host in 2015. The three-day 2025 draft was held last month at Lambeau Field, in Green Bay, Wisconsin, home of the Green Bay Packers, with next year's selection of college players joining the NFL to be held in Pittsburgh.

Reuters 

Trump became the first sitting U.S. president to attend a Super Bowl in February, where the crowd at the Superdome in New Orleans greeted him with a mix of cheers and boos, but he has a long and complicated history with the league.

Trump bought into the doomed upstart United States Football League in the 1980s and sought to have it compete directly with the NFL.

In 2017, during his first term in the White House, he spent weeks attacking the NFL over players who knelt during the pre-game playing of the national anthem in protest over police brutality and racial inequality.

Goodell, who stood next to Trump as the president addressed the media, in February had defied Trump's calls for private companies to dismantle diversity, equity and inclusion programs, saying the league would continue its DEI efforts.

Trump's current term will overlap with several major international sporting events in the United States, with the Club World Cup set to take place in 11 U.S. cities from June 14-July 13.

The United States will co-host the 2026 World Cup with Mexico and Canada, while the 2028 Summer Olympics are set for Los Angeles.

Reporting by Gram Slattery in Washington, D.C., writing by Amy Tennery in New York, Editing by Bill Berkrot

- Reuters 

JD VANCE FUMBLES TROPHY 🏆 👀

 

BIDEN HOSTS WORLD SERIES CHAMPION RANGERS AT WHITE HOUSE

President Joe Biden noted the Word Series champion Texas Rangers were once the Washington Senators before they moved to Texas in 1972. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

 WASHINGTON -- The Texas Rangers visited the White House on Thursday to celebrate their 2023 World Series victory with President Joe Biden, who noted that the team was making a triumphant return to the city where its franchise was born.

"You're back in the nation's capital as world champions, and you deserve it," Biden said, referencing a team that was once the Washington Senators before it moved to Texas in 1972. "I think there's a word you all embody: resilience."

It's a long-standing tradition for professional and collegiate championship teams to come to the White House and be recognized by the president. The visit meant a rare public appearance by Biden since his July 21 announcement that he was dropping his bid for reelection and endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris to lead the Democratic ticket in November.

The Rangers now play in Arlington, outside Dallas, and Biden said that city and region had grown accustomed to championships in football, basketball and hockey that left many wondering "if baseball would ever join them."

He noted that the Rangers failed to win last year's American League West division, which "was as tough as it's ever been." The team made the playoffs as a wild card and topped Tampa Bay and Baltimore before getting "revenge on the Houston Astros," Biden said, to make the World Series -- which they clinched in five games over the Arizona Diamondbacks in November.

"You never gave up," Biden said. "You kept the faith."

The event in the East Room began with the band playing an orchestral version of "Higher," the 1999 hit by Creed that became the 2023 Rangers' unofficial anthem. In the midst of their current season, the Rangers lost at home to the Astros on Wednesday and headed to New York after the ceremony for a series against the Yankees.

It was the Rangers' first championship, but the fourth for their manager, Bruce Bochy, who previously visited the White House after winning titles with the San Francisco Giants in the 2010, 2012 and 2014 seasons -- and celebrating them all while Barack Obama was president.

Biden noted that Bochy was running out of fingers on one hand for his World Series rings and that, if he were to win a fifth, he'd "need another finger" unless he put a ring on his thumb. "I don't know how you'd do that, man," Biden added.

Rangers general manager Chris Young called last season "a roller coaster."

"It was filled with highs and extreme lows, and there were moments where it didn't feel like we could possibly win the World Series," Young said. "But this group of guys, they never gave up hope. They never veered off course."

He said the players "forever changed the perception of our franchise" and fans had "waited a long time for this championship."

"You all deserve this," Young said. "We thank you for your patience."

As the players and Biden spoke, the World Series trophy sat on a table nearby, along with a No. 46 Rangers jersey with Biden's name on it and Rangers cowboy boots -- which the president declared would "give me another two inches."

"I had a hell of an arm," Biden joked as he held up the jersey. "I don't have it anymore."

- Associated Press

UNITED STATES VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS HOSTS NCAA SPORTS DAY AT THE WHITE HOUSE

 

BIDEN TO SKIP TRADITIONAL SUPER BOWL INTERVIEW FOR SECOND

Reuters 

 U.S. President Joe Biden will skip the traditional pre-game interview with the CBS television network before Sunday's Super Bowl, which is expected to become the most-watched American football game ever.

It is the second year in a row that Biden has opted out of the interview.

White House officials told reporters earlier this week they made the decision because Super Bowl viewers wanted to watch football, not the president. On Saturday, a White House official said Biden turned down the interview because CBS would have aired just a brief clip on Sunday, instead of a fuller extended version.

This year's Super Bowl clash between the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers is expected to shatter viewership records in the U.S. Tickets are on track to be the most expensive ever amid feverish excitement that pop star Taylor Swift may attend to support boyfriend Travis Kelce, the Kansas City Chiefs tight end.

A record 200.5 million adults in the U.S. are planning to watch Super Bowl this year, according to a survey by the National Retail Federation (NRF)

Former President George W. Bush began the tradition of an interview around the Super Bowl, appearing with CBS lead commentator Jim Nantz in 2004 for a light series of questions, mostly about the game. "I think it's going to be a very close contest, but what the heck do I know? I'm just the president," Bush said.

US FAA DESIGNATES LAS VEGAS AREA 'NO DRONE ZONE' FOR SUPERBOWL

USA TODAY Sports 

 The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said on Friday it is designating the Las Vegas Area a "No Drone Zone" for the Feb. 11 Super Bowl as officials tighten security precautions before the National Football League championship game.

The NFL and other U.S. sports leagues have backed a bid by the White House for expanded powers from Congress to detect and disable threatening drones.

"Without a change in federal law, mass gatherings will remain at risk from malicious and unauthorized drone operations," the NFL said in November after a drone disrupted a game in Baltimore. "It’s time for Congress to act."

The FAA said game-day restrictions will begin at 11 a.m. PT (1900 GMT) within two nautical miles around Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas up to 2,000 feet (609 meters) in altitude and expand from 2:30-8:30 p.m. to a 30-nautical-mile radius and up to 18,000 feet in altitude. There are also restrictions around the stadium and two casino hotels at times in the days before the Super Bowl.

STEPH CURRY LOOKING SUAVE IN THE WHITE HOUSE WITH PRESIDENT BIDEN

SIMONE BILES AWARDED PRESIDENTIAL MEDAL OF FREEDOM

PRESIDENT BIDEN HOSTS MILWAUKEE BUKS AT THE WHITE HOUSE

 

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