Federal authorities have spotted mysterious drones flying over a Washington military installation that houses two of the nation’s top cabinet officials, according to a Washington Post report published Wednesday.
The unmanned aircraft were observed above Fort McNair, the military base where Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth maintain residences, three sources familiar with the matter told the newspaper.
According to the report, authorities have been unable to identify the origin of the drones, with two sources confirming that investigators remain puzzled about where the aircraft came from.
The drone activity at Fort McNair led officials to consider whether Rubio and Hegseth should be moved to different locations for their safety, the Washington Post reported.
Despite these concerns, both cabinet secretaries have remained at their current residences, according to a senior administration official cited in the report.
The newspaper noted that military officials have increased their surveillance of potential security threats due to elevated alert status related to ongoing U.S. and Israeli military operations against Iran.
Reuters was unable to immediately confirm the details of the Washington Post’s reporting through independent sources.
Both the Pentagon and State Department failed to provide responses when contacted for comment about the incident.
Pentagon chief spokesperson Sean Parnell refused to discuss the drone sightings when approached by the Washington Post for comment.
“The department cannot comment on the secretary’s (Hegseth’s) movements for security reasons, and reporting on such movements is grossly irresponsible,” Parnell stated to the Post.
