G8 intelligence services track down Pakistani arms trafficker and terrorist mastermind Aamir Barkawi (Alon Moni Aboutboul) at his compound on the outskirts of Lahore, and authorize a US Air Force drone strike during his daughter's wedding, based on intelligence supplied by a covert MI6 informant, seemingly killing Barkawi and his family.
Two years later, British Prime Minister James Wilson suddenly dies, and the G7 prepare to attend his funeral in London. Secret Service Director Lynne Jacobs (Angela Bassett) assigns agent Mike Banning (Gerard Butler) to lead American President Benjamin Asher's (Aaron Eckhart) overseas security detail, even though Banning's wife Leah (Radha Mitchell) is due to give birth in a few weeks. The entourage arrives via Air Force One at Stansted Airport, and Banning arranges an earlier arrival at Somerset House in London via Marine One.
As Asher's Presidential State Car arrives at St Paul's Cathedral, a band of mercenaries led by Barkawi's son Kamran (Waleed Zuaiter) initiate coordinated attacks on the city disguised as Metropolitan Police, the Queen's Guardsmen, and other first responders, killing five Western leaders, damaging major landmarks and generating mass panic. Asher's early arrival throws off the St. Paul's attack, and Banning returns him and Jacobs to Marine One. The terrorists destroy the helicopter's escorts with Stinger missiles, forcing the damaged helicopter to crash-land in Hyde Park. Fatally injured, Jacobs makes Banning promise to stay alive for his unborn child, and to punish those responsible for the attacks. Banning escorts Asher into the London Underground as the city's power is lost and residents shelter indoors.
In Washington, D.C., American Vice President Allan Trumbull (Morgan Freeman) investigates the incident with British authorities while trying to track down the President. He receives a call from Barkawi, still alive after all and operating out in Sana'a. Seeking revenge for the drone strike that killed his family, and having poisoned Wilson to lure Western leaders to London, Barkawi knows Asher is still alive, and promises that if Kamran captures him, he will broadcast Asher's execution online. Trumbull orders his staff to locate Barkawi's known operatives and find any connection to the attack, while British authorities stand down all first responders so any left in the open can be identified as terrorists.
After leaving a sign to be picked up by satellite, Banning leads Asher to an MI6 safe-house, where Jacquelin "Jax" Marshall (Charlotte Riley) briefs them. Marshall receives a voice message from Trumbull that they saw Banning's sign and an extraction team is en route. Security monitors display an approaching Delta Force team, but Banning realizes they have arrived too soon and are actually more Barkawi mercenaries. After Banning fights off the mercenaries and drives away with Asher, their car is struck by the terrorists before they can reach the US Embassy, and Asher is taken. Banning is rescued by the combined Delta Force and SAS extraction team, who suspect there is a mole in the British government.
Trumbull's staff identify a building owned by Barkawi, drawing massive power despite being unoccupied, and suspect it is Kamran's headquarters. Banning joins the extraction team to infiltrate the building, arriving seconds before Kamran can decapitate Asher. Kamran escapes when his hacker Sultan drops a grenade with his dying breath, forcing Banning to protect Asher from the blast. Banning and Asher escape just before the building is destroyed by the Delta Force/SAS squad, killing Kamran and the remaining terrorists. Marshall and British authorities restore London's security system and, discovering that MI5 Intelligence Chief John Lancaster (Patrick Kennedy) was Barkawi's mole, she kills him when he goes for his own gun. Trumbull tells Barkawi that his plan failed, moments before the building is destroyed by another drone strike, killing Barkawi and his guards.
Two weeks later, Banning is home spending time with Leah and their newborn child Lynne, named after Jacobs. As Banning contemplates sending a letter of resignation, he watches Trumbull speak on television regarding the recent events, with a message that the U.S. will prevail. Inspired, Banning deletes the letter.
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