In mid-March 2026, several unidentified drones were spotted in a single night over Fort McNair, the Army post on the Washington waterfront where Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth both live. The Washington Post broke the story, and WTOP confirmed it.

The Army said it was aware of the reported sightings near Fort McNair and the surrounding areas and was working with law enforcement and interagency partners to monitor and investigate. It said there was no credible threat to the base and that it would adjust force protection as needed. It’s not known who launched the drones or whether any were recovered.

The timing made it more than a curiosity. U.S. strikes on Iran had put the military on alert at home, and bases in New Jersey and Florida had raised alerts to their second-highest level over intelligence about a possible attack. The same week, Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana was dealing with days of drone swarms over its bomber flight line.

WTOP’s national security correspondent noted that drone activity near bases isn’t unusual, and sources said the possibilities ranged from a curious hobbyist to criminals or a terrorist group. No follow-up findings have been released.