Secret Service prepares Freedom 250 event in Washington
Security officials are preparing for one of the biggest summers in Washington, D.C., in decades ahead of the Freedom 250 event.
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump’s June 24 kickoff to the Great American State Fair will feature additional security as part of a major ramp-up to protect the Trump-backed Freedom 250 event in the nation’s capital.
Federal officials say the security threat to the festival is more than theoretical. The rally came less than two weeks after authorities announced they had thwarted an elaborate plot involving drones and explosives against the Ultimate Fighting Championship tournament held at the White House on June 14.
Public safety experts and current and former federal employees told USA TODAY they trust the agencies involved in ensuring the safety of future celebrations because they are familiar with high-profile events such as presidential inaugurations.
“This is nothing new for D.C.,” said Donald Lane, a former U.S. Secret Service official. But Lane and others pointed to an increase in attacks in Washington, including a shooting outside the White House in May and a shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in April.
Trump’s attendance at publicly announced events over the past four weeks has increased the stakes and risks, especially for the U.S. Secret Service, which is charged with protecting Trump.
“These are events that the Secret Service has known about for a long time, so they were well prepared in terms of preparation,” said Juliette Kayem, who served as assistant secretary of homeland security in the Obama administration.
“What they weren’t prepared for was President Trump inserting a political overlay into something that was supposed to be apolitical,” she said. “And given the current times, political events increase the risk environment. And that’s a surprise variable. And the Secret Service doesn’t like surprises.”
Alleged plot highlights security risks
Prosecutors allege that the suspected UFC conspirators planned to use a drone and multiple gunmen to “murder” senior officials at a National Day event attended by Trump, several Cabinet members and celebrities.
But while FBI Director Kash Patel said the plot was “calmly” thwarted, it has raised concerns as Washington prepares for a series of high-profile events to mark the nation’s 250th anniversary, including a June 24 rally hosted by President Trump.
Other upcoming events include President Trump’s July 4th keynote address and what is expected to be the largest fireworks display in American history. In August, Washington, D.C. will also host the first IndyCar race around the nation’s capital.
Officials estimate the event will draw hundreds of thousands of people to the city over the next two months.
The U.S. Secret Service, which is responsible for security measures for some upcoming events, did not comment specifically on whether changes had been made in light of the alleged plot, citing security considerations.
“The U.S. Secret Service maintains heightened security and operational readiness at our Washington, D.C., protected facilities,” Secret Service spokesman Nate Herring said in a statement. “We continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners as we prepare for several major events in Washington, D.C., this summer.”
High level designation, sniper, anti-drone technology
The Fourth of July celebration on the National Mall has been designated a “National Special Security Event,” meaning the Department of Homeland Security has identified it as a “potential target for terrorist or other criminal activity.”
Such designations are typically triggered during major events, such as presidential inaugurations or summits of world leaders, and trigger large-scale security responses by the federal government. Other Freedom 250 events supported by President Trump, including the June 24 rally, are a top priority for federal law enforcement but did not receive additional designations.
Darren Cox, assistant FBI director in charge of the FBI’s Washington field office, said during a June 2 security briefing that the FBI is the lead law enforcement agency responding to terrorist threats and intelligence activities targeting summer events.
The U.S. Secret Service, meanwhile, is responsible for designing, coordinating and implementing all operational security measures, from managing the protection details of VIPs like Trump to airspace security and guest authentication, Tara McCleese, special agent in charge of the Secret Service’s Washington field office, said in the same security briefing.
Other agencies involved in ensuring summer festival security include the U.S. Capitol Police, U.S. Park Police, Metropolitan Police Department, and the Department of Homeland Security.
The FBI will send SWAT officers, crisis negotiators, evidence response teams, bomb technicians and anti-drone systems, Cox said. Prior to the event, federal officials will work to scrape the web to identify and verify potential online threats, he added.
The U.S. Park Police will send patrolmen on horseback, and Chief Scott Brecht said it will deploy sniper teams in “strategic locations” throughout the capital.
“They will be the eyes of the event,” Brecht said, “not only mitigating the threat, but also providing real-time crowd information.”
National Guard and Air Force soldiers will be tasked with tasks such as crowd control, traffic management and security patrols, according to Brig. Gen. Leland D. Blanchard, commander of the DC National Guard.
“At this time, we are not tracking any credible threats to the events of this summer,” Cox said at a June 2 security briefing. “That being said, it should come as no surprise to anyone that Washington, D.C., during peacetime is a target-rich environment, and we are prepared for any threat.”
Cox made the comments before prosecutors announced a conspiracy targeting a UFC event at the White House. The FBI did not immediately respond to questions about whether there had been any changes to its security posture following the thwarted attack.
“New normal”
Experts say the threats facing high-profile events in 2026 will be different from those held in recent decades due to rapid advances in technology, and law enforcement is trying to catch up.
One threat of increasing concern is drones. Drones can be controlled remotely and are difficult to disable.
The suspects accused of plotting to attack a UFC match at the White House allegedly planned to deploy explosive-laden drones around the event and evacuate the crowd before they could be targeted by snipers, court records said. In June, authorities in Seattle and Dallas arrested him for allegedly conducting illegal drone operations near World Cup games.
Secret Service and FBI officials have warned people in recent weeks not to bring remotely controlled aircraft to events in the National Mall area, as the area is considered a “drone-free zone.” Cox said unlicensed drone flights can result in seizure of the drone, arrest of the operator and civil fines of up to $100,000.
In future events, the FBI and Secret Service will deploy so-called “anti-unmanned aircraft systems, or counter-UAS,” designed to neutralize drones, according to Cox and two federal law enforcement officials who spoke to USA TODAY on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive ongoing security operation.
Other threats to such large-scale events include the possibility of vehicle ramming attacks and mass shootings. Public safety experts said the threat would be mitigated by heavy police presence, security checkpoints and fencing away from the event.
The Secret Service said this year’s fireworks display will have the tightest security in recent history. President Trump is scheduled to give a speech, and the event will coincide with the Great American State Fair and the FIFA World Cup viewing party on the National Mall.
Officials said those wishing to attend the event will have to pass through a magnetometer and bag check. Scott Duffy, a former FBI agent and co-director of the Criminal Justice Institute at Wilmington University in Delaware, said checkpoints may be a nuisance, but they are essential to deter potential shooters from entering a case.
He pointed to the security checkpoint at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, through which the suspect sprinted past before shooting and killing a Secret Service agent and being taken into custody.
“If it wasn’t for that checkpoint, if that agent was there, he would have been able to get into the ballroom,” Duffy said. “While it is unfortunate, these stringent safety measures have become the new normal.”
Less than a month after the correspondents’ dinner shooting, another gunman opened fire at a checkpoint outside the White House, where Trump was also present at the time. The gunman, identified as 21-year-old Nasir Best, died at a hospital after a shootout with Secret Service agents.
Authorities urge visitors to remain vigilant
Officials and experts alike say one of the biggest factors in preventing attacks is whether law enforcement is notified of suspicious activity in advance.
According to a criminal complaint, the FBI became aware of the alleged plot to attack a UFC event in Washington after one of the suspect’s mothers contacted police with concerns about her son’s online activities, recent firearm purchases, and travel plans.
Local authorities passed this information on to federal investigators, who said they combed through online chats filled with detailed plans to attack the White House lawn event, including maps, evacuation routes and “safe houses.” Authorities arrested seven suspects in multiple states, including California, Missouri, Nebraska and Ohio.
“You play an important role in public safety,” the Secret Service’s Maryse said at a June 2 briefing. “I can’t stress this enough: If you see something, say something.”
Christopher Cann is a senior reporter at USA TODAY. Please contact us at ccann@usatoday.com. Josh Meyer is a domestic security correspondent. You can contact me at jmeyer@usatoday.com.
