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2023 White House cocaine incident

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2023 White House cocaine incident
DateJuly 2, 2023; 16 months ago (2023-07-02)
LocationWhite House, Washington, D.C., United States
CauseDiscovery of a small plastic bag with cocaine
Outcome
  • Evacuation
  • Investigation
  • No charges or arrests

In July 2023, the United States Secret Service found a small plastic bag containing less than a gram of powder cocaine inside the White House.[1] The initial discovery prompted an evacuation of the White House. President Joe Biden and his family were at Camp David in Maryland at the time the cocaine was discovered.[2][3][4] The Secret Service initiated an investigation as to how the cocaine entered the White House.[5] The investigation yielded no forensic evidence and the Secret Service could not narrow below 500 the number of staff or visitors who may have left the cocaine; the investigation was closed after eleven days.[6]

Investigation

Discovery

While conducting routine patrol of the White House, Secret Service agents found a powder in a small, clear plastic bag.[7][8]

At 8:45 p.m., as a precautionary measure, the White House complex was evacuated while the DC FEMS conducted tests on the powder. DC FEMS reported that the substance was located in the library, and an on-scene analysis identified it as cocaine.[9][3] Subsequent reports said the cocaine was discovered in a heavily trafficked vestibule of the West Wing near the West Executive street lobby; this area of the building is accessible to tour groups.[8] The drug was specifically found in a cubby in the vestibule, which is an entrance area located between a foyer and a lower-level lobby.[10] Visitors use the cubbies to store mobile phones before entering the West Wing.[11][1]

Investigation

Testing by the National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures Center found that the powder discovered was cocaine; it tested negative for biothreats. The FBI Laboratory also did extensive chemical and forensics testing. Neither latent fingerprints nor a DNA sample was found.[8] Two senior law enforcement officials told CBS News that the FBI analysis found 207.6 mg (.007 ounces) of cocaine.[11]

The Secret Service reviewed visitor logs and security camera footage, but could not identify a suspect or any leads.[8][1] Video surveillance cameras are located in the general area, but not aimed directly at the cubbies where the drug was discovered.[1] A large number of people transit the area where the cocaine was found, including tourists, visitors, staffers, facilities operations workers, and military personnel.[10] Hundreds of people passed through over the weekend before the bag's discovery.[10][11] Investigators believe that the cocaine was most likely left by a tourist or visitor.[8][12] There were tours on the day the drugs were found, as well as on each of the two preceding days.[8]

Reactions

White House

President Joe Biden also stated that it is "incredibly important" for the Secret Service to determine how the cocaine got there.[13]

National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told reporters that the Situation Room had been under construction for months, and the only people going in and out of that room were construction workers.[14]

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre repeatedly noted that the cocaine was found in a highly trafficked area of the White House and that the Biden family "were at Camp David. They were not here Friday", a claim contradicted by a Politico reporter who observed the Biden family depart the White House Friday evening.[15]

Republicans

Various Republicans used the discovery of the cocaine as a source for innuendo about the president's son, Hunter Biden, who is in recovery from drug addiction.[16] Conservative media did the same.[17] No evidence links Hunter or Joe Biden to the cocaine, and the president and his family were at Camp David during the weekend when the drug was discovered.[16][17]

Former President Donald Trump, in posts on his social media site Truth Social, baselessly claimed that the cocaine was "for the use of ... Hunter & Joe Biden."[18] He claimed that "the Fake News Media" would downplay the incident by claiming that the substance was actually aspirin.[18] In other posts, Trump suggested that Hunter Biden be executed,[19] and attacked Jack Smith, the special counsel leading investigations into his conduct, writing: "Has Deranged Jack Smith, the crazy, Trump hating Special Prosecutor, been seen in the area of the COCAINE? He looks like a crackhead to me!"[18] Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a candidate for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, mocked the Biden administration over the discovery, saying, "I've long believed, I think a lot of us have believed that the Biden administration's been blowing it on a lot of fronts. But I guess it's a little bit more literal than even I had thought".[20]

Trump’s former White House press secretary, Kayleigh McEnany, said "For it to be Hunter Biden, he left on Friday, he was at Camp David, there is no way, it is inconceivable to think cocaine could sit for a 72-hour-period so I would rule him out at this point."[21]

Republican Senator Tom Cotton wrote to Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle on July 5, asking where the cocaine was found, how often illegal drugs have been found, and whether the Secret Service will make an arrest if a subject is identified.[22] Cotton also asked if the White House is secure, and if not, what the plan is to correct security flaws, as well as statistics on K-9 screenings, details on security audits, and a list of people not subject to full security screening.[22] James Comer, Republican Chair of the House Oversight Committee, sent a letter to Cheatle requesting a briefing.[23]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d Diamond, Jeremy (July 13, 2023). "First on CNN: Secret Service concludes cocaine investigation, no suspect identified". CNN. Retrieved July 15, 2023.
  2. ^ Yousif, Nadine (July 4, 2023). "Suspected cocaine found at White House sparking evacuation". BBC News. Archived from the original on July 8, 2023. Retrieved July 5, 2023.
  3. ^ a b Long, Colleen; Balsamo, Mike (July 4, 2023). "Suspicious powder found at the White House when Biden was gone was cocaine, AP sources say". AP News. Archived from the original on July 8, 2023. Retrieved July 5, 2023.
  4. ^ Mason, Jeff; Singh, Kanishka (July 4, 2023). "White powder found at White House identified as cocaine -source". Reuters. Archived from the original on July 8, 2023. Retrieved July 5, 2023.
  5. ^ Rogers, Katie (July 4, 2023). "Secret Service Examining How Suspected Cocaine Ended Up at the White House". The New York Times. Archived from the original on July 7, 2023. Retrieved July 5, 2023.
  6. ^ Ainsley, Julia (July 14, 2023). "Why the Secret Service closed its investigation of cocaine found at the White House without conducting interviews". NBC News. Retrieved July 15, 2023.
  7. ^ Long, Colleen; Miller, Zeke; Balsamo, Michael (July 5, 2023). "Secondary test of powder found in West Wing lobby shows it's cocaine, Biden briefed on investigation". AP News. Retrieved June 15, 2024.
  8. ^ a b c d e f Long, Colleen; Balsamo, Michael (July 13, 2023). "No fingerprints, DNA sample or leads from cocaine found at the White House, the Secret Service says". Associated Press. Retrieved July 16, 2023.
  9. ^ Helmore, Edward (July 5, 2023). "Lab test confirms white powder found at White House is cocaine". The Guardian. Retrieved September 13, 2023.
  10. ^ a b c O'Donnell, Kelly; Lebowitz, Megan (July 6, 2023). "Cocaine found in the White House was in a different location than previously reported, sources say". NBC News. Archived from the original on July 7, 2023. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
  11. ^ a b c Quinn, Melissa (July 13, 2023). "Secret Service closes investigation into cocaine found at White House with no suspect identified". CBS News. Retrieved July 17, 2023.
  12. ^ "West Wing tour guest likely brought cocaine in, White House sources say". NBC News. July 5, 2023. Archived from the original on July 9, 2023. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
  13. ^ Rahman, Khaleda (July 9, 2023). "Cocaine at the White House—What we know". Newsweek. Archived from the original on July 9, 2023. Retrieved July 9, 2023.
  14. ^ "Press Briefing by Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan". The White House. July 7, 2023. Retrieved July 9, 2023.
  15. ^ Garrison, Joey (July 7, 2023). "White House promises 'appropriate consequences' if cocaine came from staffer". USA Today. Retrieved September 13, 2023.
  16. ^ a b Gangitano, Alex (July 9, 2023). "White House fends off GOP's Hunter Biden attacks". The Hill. Retrieved July 9, 2023.
  17. ^ a b Gangitano, Alex (July 6, 2023). "White House cocaine discovery becomes GOP 'political fodder'". The Hill. Archived from the original on July 8, 2023. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
  18. ^ a b c Delaney, Arthur (July 5, 2023). "Donald Trump Baselessly Suggests Joe Biden Uses Cocaine, Calls Prosecutor 'Crackhead'". HuffPost. Retrieved June 15, 2024.
  19. ^ Woodward, Alex (July 11, 2023). "Trump suggests Hunter Biden should get 'a death sentence' in unhinged attacks as investigations close in". The Independent. Retrieved July 17, 2023.
  20. ^ Vakil, Caroline (July 5, 2023). "DeSantis, Trump mock Biden administration after cocaine found at White House". The Hill. Archived from the original on July 7, 2023. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
  21. ^ Tran, Ken (July 6, 2023). "Former Trump press secretary: 'No way' Hunter Biden was source of cocaine at White House". USA TODAY. Archived from the original on July 7, 2023. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
  22. ^ a b Solender, Andrew (July 5, 2023). "GOP senator probes White House cocaine discovery". Axios. Archived from the original on July 8, 2023. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
  23. ^ "House Oversight Chair James Comer is requesting a briefing and information from the Secret Service after cocaine was found at the White House". Politico. July 7, 2023. Archived from the original on July 8, 2023. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
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