Report: Drones Overflew Base Housing Hegseth, Rubio, Pentagon Leaders

Washington Post reports that officials considered relocating the two White House cabinet secretaries.

Jack Daleo

Thursday, March 19, 2026 at 02:00 PM ET

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Edited By:

Travis Tingle

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth sits at a meeting with Saudi Arabia Minister of Defense Prince Khalid bin Salman Al Saud. [Credit: Department of Defense/U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Alexander Kubitza]

Key Takeaways:

Unidentified drones have repeatedly overflown Fort McNair, a sensitive D.C. military installation housing senior U.S. officials, prompting heightened security and concern amid a significant increase in overall drone incursions at U.S. military bases.
In response to these growing uncrewed aircraft system (UAS) threats, the U.S. military has updated guidance to treat unauthorized drone flights as an explicit surveillance threat, enabling counter-UAS measures and improving interagency coordination.
The government is significantly ramping up counter-drone efforts through new policies, substantial grant programs (like FEMA's $500 million initiative), and large contracts with private companies for developing C-UAS solutions.

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In the past 10 days, multiple unidentified drones have overflown the D.C.-area military installation housing U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and senior Pentagon leaders, according to a Washington Post report.

Citing a “senior administration official” and three others reportedly briefed on the situation, the Post reported that the sightings have led to heightened security measures as the White House weighed whether to relocate Hegseth and Rubio. The cabinet secretaries were reported to be living on Fort McNair, just a few miles from the White House and Capitol Building, in October.