擔任警察的約翰(查尼塔圖飾)，夢想成為駐白宮特工直接保護總統(傑米福克斯飾)。他為了不讓面試失敗的壞消息讓女兒失望，決定帶著女兒參加白宮導覽行程。沒想到在參觀過程中，白宮遭到一群配備重型軍械的神秘軍事組織佔領，總統陷入被劫持的危機。

臨危受命的約翰，隻身前往解救總統與化解國家危機，同時也必須確保心愛的女兒平安脫身。約翰在行動過程中，除了與上司（瑪姬葛倫霍飾）裡外聯手，更意外與謀略十足的總統大人並肩作戰，他們能否在差距懸殊的較量中擊退敵人，捍衛美國精神？

《白宮末日》劇本的創作者為《蜘蛛人:驚奇再起2》編劇-詹姆斯范德比爾特（James Vanderbilt），電影公司為了購買該劇本，支付高達300萬美元的高額費用。艾姆立克導演在《ID4：星際終結者3D》與《2012》以海嘯吞噬白宮後，此次以震驚世人的恐怖襲擊，再度讓美國白宮墜入末日。

In Columbia Pictures’ White House Down, Capitol Policeman John Cale (Channing Tatum) has just been denied his dream job with the Secret Service of protecting President James Sawyer (Jamie Foxx). Not wanting to let down his little girl with the news, he takes her on a tour of the White House, when the complex is overtaken by a heavily armed paramilitary group. Now, with the nation’s government falling into chaos and time running out, it's up to Cale to save the president, his daughter, and the country.