Chaos struck the nation’s capitol Thursday when a suspicious item set off alarms and evacuations.
According to WDVM-TV, both the U.S. Treasury Building and the Hotel Washington were evacuated after reports of a suspicious item near the White House.
The Secret Service confirmed that the call about the suspicious item came in around 9:45 a.m. local time, and officers promptly responded.
“The Metropolitan Police Department’s Explosive Ordinance Disposal Team was also called to the scene and eventually determined that the area was safe,” WDVM notes.
Several roads were shut down during the investigation, and some still are closed, according to the Secret Service.
Details were “murky” about what exactly happened, at least according to YouTube news channel Next News Network:
???? BREAKING: Secret Service, fire trucks, and possible bomb squads swarm near Eisenhower building next to the White House! Suspicious package found—details murky. This is HUGE, folks! God bless our brave police and first responders, the thin blue line keeping America safe from… pic.twitter.com/Quox08CAIP
— Next News Network ???????? (@NextNewsNetwork) April 3, 2025
Next News claimed that “Secret Service, fire trucks, and possible bomb squads” were swarming the area.
The outlet’s reporter added that there was an “incredible police presence,” as well as the fact that “the White House has stopped all visitors.”
Freelance journalist Andrew Leyden also took to social media platform X to share some photos of local authorities occupying a closed road:
The White House and Ellipse areas are closed downtown due to a suspicious package call. 15th to 17th all shut down. pic.twitter.com/6xzZlhysXf
— Andrew Leyden (@PenguinSix) April 3, 2025
Meanwhile, News Nation White House correspondent Libbey Dean also eventually took to X, noting that the Secret Service had cleared the danger.
USSS responded to reports of a “suspicious package” outside the White House today near 15th and Pennsylvania Ave NW around 9:45 this morning.
The scene is now safe, but parts of the Treasury Building and the Hotel Washington were evacuated, per USSS.
— Libbey Dean (@LibbeyDean_) April 3, 2025
“The scene is now safe,” she reported.
Threats to President Donald Trump and his administration have become no joking matter in recent months.
Trump was the victim of at least two assassination attempts in 2024, one in Pennsylvania and one in Florida. The first incident in Butler, Pennsylvania, still saw someone lose their life.
Both incidents put the Secret Service under intense scrutiny, which was only exacerbated by other scandals and incidents during the Biden administration.
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