Multiple unidentified drones have been spotted near Fort Lesley J. McNair in Washington, D.C., a military installation where Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth are reportedly housed, Fox News reports.
The sightings come as U.S. and Israeli forces have been conducting strikes against Iran, raising concerns inside the military about potential Iranian retaliation on American soil.
“We are aware of the reported drone sightings near Fort McNair and the surrounding areas,” Heather Chairez, media chief for Joint Task Force-National Capital Region and the U.S. Army Military District of Washington, told the outlet. “We are working with our law enforcement and interagency partners to monitor and investigate the reported sightings.” Chairez added, “Our top priority is the safety of our service members and civilian personnel that work and live on the base. Currently there is no credible threat to Fort McNair, but we will continue to monitor the situation and adjust force protection measures as needed.”
Fort McNair houses the National Defense University and senior military leadership. According to multiple reports, it has also been used to house high-level civilian appointees during the current period of elevated security concerns. Fox News has not independently confirmed that Rubio and Hegseth reside at the base.
The drone incidents are part of a broader pattern of security alerts at American military installations. Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in New Jersey and MacDill Air Force Base in Florida, home to U.S. Central Command, have both elevated force protection levels in recent days. MacDill has experienced multiple security incidents that prompted temporary lockdowns, according to base officials.
The State Department has directed diplomatic posts worldwide to review and strengthen security protocols in response to what officials describe as an evolving threat environment.
Iran has heavily invested in drone warfare. During the opening phase of Operation Epic Fury, an Iranian drone strike in Kuwait killed six U.S. service members. The FBI issued an advisory in early March referencing unverified intelligence that Iran had explored launching drones from offshore platforms near California, though officials stressed the information was aspirational and not linked to any imminent threat.
