The U.S. Department of Justice has announced charges against eight men accused of planning a large-scale attack during a mixed martial arts event at the White House this past June, aiming to assassinate President Donald Trump, Vice President J.D. Vance, and several prominent figures.
The department stated that a federal grand jury issued an indictment against the suspects, aged between 19 and 32, after the plot was thwarted and all involved were apprehended.
The defendants face charges of conspiring to provide material support to terrorists and conspiring to commit murder on federal property, targeting U.S. government officials.
According to the Justice Department, the intended targets included Trump, Vance, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and billionaire Elon Musk, along with other U.S. officials and individuals described as "highly significant."
The FBI revealed that the plan involved using drone explosives to attack the northern side of the White House, intending to force attendees toward a specific exit where snipers planned to shoot them as they attempted to escape.
Trump attended the event, which coincided with his 80th birthday and the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence, alongside Republican lawmakers, administration officials, and donors, while Netanyahu was not present.
Authorities indicated that the suspects communicated through chat groups and online forums on "Signal," "Discord," "TikTok," and "Instagram" to organize their plot.
The FBI had announced last month that the attack was foiled before execution, and the Justice Department confirmed that all suspects are now in custody.