Mysterious Drones Detected Over US Base Where Rubio, Hegseth Live: Report

Last Updated:March 19, 2026, 09:34 IST

The development came as the US issued a global security alert for overseas diplomatic posts and locked down several domestic bases because of threats.

Unidentified drones were detected above the Washington Army base where Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth live, The Washington Post reported, citing three people who were briefed on the situation.

The US military is exercising more caution and is monitoring potential threats closely amid the heightened tensions in the Middle East. Multiple drones were spotted over Fort Lesley J McNair on a single night in the last 10 days, the official was quoted as saying. He noted that this prompted increased security measures and a meeting at the White House to discuss how to respond.

The development came as the US issued a global security alert for overseas diplomatic posts and locked down several domestic bases because of threats.

With the drone spotting over Fort McNair, the officials are weighing to relocate Rubio and Hegseth, The Washington Post reported.

Meanwhile, chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell declined to discuss the drones. “The department cannot comment on the secretary’s movements for security reasons, and reporting on such movements is grossly irresponsible," he added.

Twice this week, officials locked down facilities at MacDill Air Force Base, home to US Central Command. The FBI is now investigating a suspicious package that closed the base’s visitors center for hours on Monday, and on Wednesday, an unspecified security incident left the base under a shelter-in-place order for hours, the base said in a statement.

“To ensure the safety and security of our people and the mission, commanders adjust their installation’s security posture in accordance with local threat assessments," an Air Force spokesperson said in a statement.

The State Department on Tuesday ordered all US diplomatic posts worldwide to “immediately" undertake security evaluations, citing “the ongoing and developing situation in the Middle East".

Notably, Fort McNair houses the National Defense University and some of the Pentagon’s most senior military officials. The base has not traditionally housed political leaders, but several Trump officials, including outgoing Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi L Noem, have moved onto area bases, citing security concerns.

McNair is conveniently located close to Capitol Hill and the White House.

Similar drone threats surfaced surrounding President Donald Trump and other top officials in recent years as Iranian leaders sought revenge for the US strike that killed Iranian general Qasem Soleimani in 2020.

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