Eight indicted over plan to attack White House UFC fight with drones and snipers ⁠1%

By David Zimmermann⁠0%

7/10/2026, 12:50:06 AM

BS Summary: This article contains 3 faulty reasoning types, including Biased Writer Voice and Ambiguity (Equivocation), with Fundamental Attribution Error as the most egregious example at 4.3% saturation with 24 hits. Analysis detected 43 faulty-reasoning hits from 563 analyzed words, generating a BS Score of 8% and a BS Rank of ⁠1% (21,658 of 21,886 articles). This article is better (less manipulative) than 99.00% of the article peer group.

A federal grand jury indicted eight men on Thursday for their roles in planning an attack on the UFC fight at the White House last month. 
The Department of Justice said the two-count indictment, returned in Ohio, replaces the initial charges filed in criminal complaints spread across various states. 
The initial seven suspects were arrested and charged in Ohio, Missouri, Nebraska, California, and Washington. 
Chandler Scaggs, 21, was apprehended in West Virginia by the FBI this week and subsequently added to the indictment. 
The charges include conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists and conspiracy to commit murder on federal government territory and to murder a federal government official, according to the DOJ. 
Justin Gaethje celebrates defeating Ilia Topuria in their lightweight championship bout at UFC Freedom 250 on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Monday, June 15, 2026. 
(Evan Vucci/Pool Photo via AP) 
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resize=696,464 696w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px"> Justin Gaethje celebrates defeating Ilia Topuria in their lightweight championship bout at UFC Freedom 250 on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Monday, June 15, 2026. 
(Evan Vucci/Pool Photo via AP) 
The defendants planned to deploy drones at the UFC event on June 14, forcing a mass evacuation and diverting crowds toward a pre-staged sniper team. 
The plotters would’ve then theoretically stormed the White House. 
The FBI thwarted the attack before it could happen. 
Law enforcement first learned of the terrorist plot on June 10, four days before the high-profile cage fight. 
FBI Director Kash Patel informed the public about the foiled attack two days after the event. 
The plot began in May when the group started acquiring money, firearms, ammunition, body armor, explosives, drones, medical equipment, and communications equipment in service of the conspired attack, according to the indictment. 
The group allegedly planned to murder President Donald Trump , Vice President JD Vance , and other federal officials at UFC Freedom 250. 
Tech mogul Elon Musk and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu were also supposed to be targeted because they were expected to be in attendance. 
It’s unclear whether Musk went to the fight, but Netanyahu was not there. 
Scaggs was assigned to be one of the snipers in the plotted attack, the DOJ said. 
He was set to be picked up by fellow co-conspirator Tycen Proper, 19, on his way to Washington, D.C. , but Proper was arrested beforehand. 
Scaggs tried to coordinate travel plans with another person in the group. 
They contacted each other via group chats on Signal, SimpleX, Discord, TikTok, and Instagram. 
FBI THWARTS EXPLOSIVE DRONE ATTACK AGAINST UFC FREEDOM 250 FIGHT 
The other six co-conspirators were Abraham Alvarez, 31; Daniel Eskridge, 32; William Falkner, 21; Jordan Rincker, 28; Bryan Roa, 25; and Michael Thomas, 32. 
If convicted on conspiring to provide material support to terrorists, the defendants could face up to 15 years in prison. 
If convicted on conspiring to commit murder, they could face a lifetime prison sentence. 
The case is being held in the Southern District of Ohio. 
Article reasoning-pattern comparisonThis article: 0.0%David Zimmermann: 0.3%Washington Examiner: 5.3%Confirmation Bias0.0%This article: 0.0%David Zimmermann: 1.2%Washington Examiner: 0.9%Anchoring Bias0.0%This article: 0.0%David Zimmermann: 0.0%Washington Examiner: 3.2%Availability Heuristic0.0%This article: 0.0%David Zimmermann: 0.0%Washington Examiner: 1.1%Representativeness Heuristic0.0%This article: 0.0%David Zimmermann: 0.8%Washington Examiner: 0.8%Hindsight Bias0.0%This article: 0.0%David Zimmermann: 5.1%Washington Examiner: 2.1%Overconfidence Bias0.0%This article: 0.0%David Zimmermann: 4.8%Washington Examiner: 8.6%Framing Effect0.0%This article: 0.0%David Zimmermann: 0.0%Washington Examiner: 0.6%Loss Aversion0.0%This article: 0.0%David Zimmermann: 0.0%Washington Examiner: 0.6%Status Quo Bias0.0%This article: 0.0%David Zimmermann: 0.0%Washington Examiner: 0.2%Sunk Cost Effect0.0%This article: 0.0%David Zimmermann: 2.8%Washington Examiner: 1.7%Optimism Bias0.0%This article: 0.0%David Zimmermann: 0.0%Washington Examiner: 1.8%Pessimism Bias0.0%This article: 0.0%David Zimmermann: 8.0%Washington Examiner: 9.3%Negativity Bias0.0%This article: 0.0%David Zimmermann: 2.1%Washington Examiner: 1.4%Self-Serving Bias0.0%This article: 4.3%David Zimmermann: 0.6%Washington Examiner: 1.5%Fundamental Attribution Error4.3%This article: 0.0%David Zimmermann: 0.0%Washington Examiner: 0.2%Actor-Observer Bias0.0%This article: 0.0%David Zimmermann: 2.6%Washington Examiner: 2.2%In-Group Bias0.0%This article: 0.0%David Zimmermann: 0.0%Washington Examiner: 1.5%Out-Group Homogeneity Bias0.0%This article: 0.0%David Zimmermann: 0.0%Washington Examiner: 2.3%Halo Effect0.0%This article: 0.0%David Zimmermann: 0.1%Washington Examiner: 0.4%Horn Effect0.0%This article: 0.0%David Zimmermann: 0.0%Washington Examiner: 0.0%Dunning-Kruger Effect0.0%This article: 0.0%David Zimmermann: 0.9%Washington Examiner: 1.7%Recency Bias0.0%This article: 0.0%David Zimmermann: 0.0%Washington Examiner: 0.5%Primacy Effect0.0%This article: 0.0%David Zimmermann: 0.0%Washington Examiner: 0.0%Blind-Spot Bias0.0%This article: 0.0%David Zimmermann: 1.2%Washington Examiner: 2.3%Ad Hominem0.0%This article: 0.0%David Zimmermann: 0.0%Washington Examiner: 1.7%Straw Man0.0%This article: 0.0%David Zimmermann: 1.4%Washington Examiner: 4.0%Appeal to Authority0.0%This article: 0.0%David Zimmermann: 0.9%Washington Examiner: 3.0%False Dilemma0.0%This article: 0.0%David Zimmermann: 0.2%Washington Examiner: 1.5%Slippery Slope0.0%This article: 0.0%David Zimmermann: 0.3%Washington Examiner: 0.2%Circular Reasoning0.0%This article: 0.0%David Zimmermann: 3.5%Washington Examiner: 8.9%Hasty Generalization0.0%This article: 0.0%David Zimmermann: 0.0%Washington Examiner: 0.3%Red Herring0.0%This article: 0.0%David Zimmermann: 0.0%Washington Examiner: 0.6%Bandwagon0.0%This article: 0.0%David Zimmermann: 2.9%Washington Examiner: 6.0%Appeal to Emotion0.0%This article: 0.0%David Zimmermann: 0.9%Washington Examiner: 1.8%Begging the Question0.0%This article: 0.0%David Zimmermann: 1.8%Washington Examiner: 3.1%Post Hoc (False Cause)0.0%This article: 0.0%David Zimmermann: 0.0%Washington Examiner: 0.2%Tu Quoque0.0%This article: 0.0%David Zimmermann: 0.9%Washington Examiner: 0.7%Burden of Proof0.0%This article: 0.0%David Zimmermann: 0.0%Washington Examiner: 0.2%Appeal to Nature0.0%This article: 0.0%David Zimmermann: 0.0%Washington Examiner: 0.5%Composition/Division0.0%This article: 0.0%David Zimmermann: 0.6%Washington Examiner: 2.2%Anecdotal0.0%This article: 0.0%David Zimmermann: 0.0%Washington Examiner: 0.2%No True Scotsman0.0%This article: 1.6%David Zimmermann: 0.7%Washington Examiner: 2.1%Ambiguity (Equivocation)1.6%This article: 0.0%David Zimmermann: 0.0%Washington Examiner: 0.0%Gambler’s Fallacy0.0%This article: 0.0%David Zimmermann: 0.0%Washington Examiner: 0.1%Middle Ground0.0%This article: 0.0%David Zimmermann: 0.7%Washington Examiner: 0.1%Personal Incredulity0.0%This article: 0.0%David Zimmermann: 0.0%Washington Examiner: 0.2%Special Pleading0.0%This article: 0.0%David Zimmermann: 0.0%Washington Examiner: 0.6%Genetic Fallacy0.0%This article: 0.0%David Zimmermann: 1.6%Washington Examiner: 2.3%Unattributed Quote0.0%This article: 0.0%David Zimmermann: 1.3%Washington Examiner: 1.7%Quote-first Misdirection0.0%This article: 1.8%David Zimmermann: 1.1%Washington Examiner: 11.5%Biased Writer Voice1.8%This article: 0.0%David Zimmermann: 0.0%Washington Examiner: 3.5%Indoctrination0.0%This article: 0.0%David Zimmermann: 0.0%Washington Examiner: 0.4%Politically Left Leaning Bias0.0%This article: 0.0%David Zimmermann: 0.7%Washington Examiner: 4.3%Politically Right Leaning Bias0.0%This article: 0.0%David Zimmermann: 0.0%Washington Examiner: 0.9%Attempt to Sell a Product or S…0.0%

563 words analyzed.

Speakers

3speakers13%attributed speech489writer words
Voice mapSelect a segment to jump to its words
Writer's voice • 14 words • 0.0% coverageWriter's voice • 26 words • 0.0% coverageDepartment of Justice • 23 words • 0.0% coverageWriter's voice • 15 words • 0.0% coverageWriter's voice • 19 words • 0.0% coverageWriter's voice • 30 words • 0.0% coverageWriter's voice • 29 words • 0.0% coverageWriter's voice • 5 words • 0.0% coverageWriter's voice • 2 words • 0.0% coverageWriter's voice • 2 words • 0.0% coverageWriter's voice • 34 words • 0.0% coverageWriter's voice • 3 words • 0.0% coverageWriter's voice • 3 words • 0.0% coverageWriter's voice • 3 words • 0.0% coverageWriter's voice • 35 words • 0.0% coverageWriter's voice • 5 words • 0.0% coverageWriter's voice • 25 words • 0.0% coverageWriter's voice • 9 words • 0.0% coverageFBI • 9 words • 0.0% coverageWriter's voice • 18 words • 0.0% coverageKash Patel • 16 words • 0.0% coverageWriter's voice • 32 words • 0.0% coverageWriter's voice • 23 words • 0.0% coverageWriter's voice • 24 words • 0.0% coverageWriter's voice • 13 words • 0.0% coverageDepartment of Justice • 16 words • 0.0% coverageWriter's voice • 25 words • 0.0% coverageWriter's voice • 12 words • 0.0% coverageWriter's voice • 14 words • 0.0% coverageFBI • 10 words • 100.0% coverageWriter's voice • 24 words • 0.0% coverageWriter's voice • 20 words • 0.0% coverageWriter's voice • 14 words • 0.0% coverageWriter's voice • 11 words • 0.0% coverage
Selected voice

FBI

53%flagged-word coverage
19 attributed words26% of attributed speech6.7% writer coverage
0%27.5%55.0%Biased Writer Voice+52.6 ptsWriter: 0.0%FBI: 52.6%52.6%

Attribution is sentence-level. Pattern percentages are calculated only from words assigned to that voice.

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Analysis

Hover over highlighted words in the article to view the associated bias or fallacy analysis.