A white powder found inside a work area in the White House’s west wing late on Sunday (July 2) was identified as cocaine by Washington’s fire department and emergency services as cocaine on Tuesday.
Notably, the West Wing houses the Oval Office, the cabinet room and press area, and offices and workspace for the president’s staff. It is also right next to the executive mansion where US President Joe Biden lives.
The White House was temporarily closed on Sunday evening after Secret Service agents discovered a white powder substance. Hundreds of people have access to the West Wing as they work in or come through the area regularly.
A Secret Service spokesperson also sent out an emailed statement on the development highlighting that the White House complex went into a “precautionary closure” on Sunday while the Secret Service Uniformed Division officers investigated an unknown item.
According to a Reuters report, a source familiar with the matter revealed that the substance, which was later identified as cocaine, was found during a routine Secret Service sweep of the area.
“The DC Fire Department was called to evaluate and quickly determined the item to be non-hazardous,” the Secret Service spokesperson said, adding there was “an investigation into the cause and manner” of how the substance entered the White House.
Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden was not present in the White House on Sunday, as he along with his family was out on a weekend at the presidential retreat Camp David and returned on Tuesday morning.