The White House was briefly evacuated on Sunday evening while President Joe Biden was at Camp David. The cause for the evacuation was the discovery of a mysterious white powder in a common area of the West Wing.
According to two law enforcement officials, a preliminary test revealed the substance to be cocaine.
The incident unfolded when Secret Service agents conducting routine rounds stumbled upon the suspicious powder in an area accessible to tour groups. It is important to note that the powder was not found in any specific office within the West Wing. As a precautionary measure, the complex was evacuated around 8:45 p.m. on Sunday, and fire and emergency crews were immediately called in to perform a rapid test.
Following the preliminary identification of cocaine, the White House was promptly reopened, and the substance was sent for further testing. President Biden and his family had been away at Camp David since Friday and returned to the White House on Tuesday, after the incident had been resolved. The Secret Service released a statement, explaining that the closure of the White House was a standard precaution while emergency crews investigated the matter. They sought assistance from the District of Columbia fire department, which subsequently confirmed that the substance was not hazardous.
The investigation into the cause and manner of how the suspicious powder entered the White House was closed after less than two weeks, no suspects were found according to the White House. There are likely to be heightened security measures and further scrutiny on access points to sensitive areas within the White House going further. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the challenges faced by security personnel tasked with ensuring the safety of the President and the nation’s highest office.
