Secret Service Ushers Reporters Into WH Briefing Room After Security Alert….@
The U.S. Secret Service moved reporters from White House grounds into the briefing room Wednesday morning following an unspecified security alert, though officials quickly determined no active threat existed.
Journalists stationed outside the White House were directed indoors as a precautionary measure. News Nation reporter Libbey Dean documented the incident on social media, noting that the all-clear was issued within minutes of the initial alert.
Secret Service personnel evacuated the outdoor press tents on the White House lawn and relocated reporters to the briefing room during the security incident. Deutsche Welle’s Washington bureau chief Ines Pohl observed officers moving rapidly around the perimeter and posted updates about the situation on X.
The specific nature of the security alert was not disclosed by officials. The incident occurred as the agency continues heightened security protocols following recent breaches at the complex.
The alert came days after a man jumped over a security barrier near the Treasury Building and was quickly apprehended by uniformed Secret Service officers. During that altercation, one officer sustained a non-life-threatening cut.
The detention happened around 11:30 a.m. on the northeast side of the complex when the individual crossed over a construction bollard. Secret Service officials stated the suspect was stopped and secured almost immediately.
The Secret Service is currently under scrutiny from the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General regarding security failures. Multiple reports examining the agency’s handling of assassination attempts against former President Donald Trump are in final stages, according to sources.
An investigation is also underway involving a Secret Service agent who failed to disclose a marriage to a foreign national. The agent, who served as site agent for the Butler, Pennsylvania rally where Trump was shot in July 2024, has been suspended multiple times over an 18-month period.
This story has been updated. CNN’s Wire contributed to this report.