In a stunning breach of security, an apparently “intoxicated” man walked into national security adviser Jake Sullivan’s Washington, DC, home in the middle of the night before being confronted by the Biden administration official and asked to leave.
The incident occurred roughly two weeks ago and the intrusion went unnoticed by Sullivan’s round-the-clock Secret Service detail, according to the Washington Post.
The outlet reported that the unknown man walked into Sullivan’s home in the West End neighborhood of Washington where he lives with his wife, Deputy Assistant Attorney General Margaret Goodlander, one day in late April at around 3 a.m.
Sullivan reportedly alerted his security detail only after asking the intruder, who appeared to be intoxicated and confused, to leave the premises.
There were no signs of forced entry, according to the report, and Secret Service agents outside were unaware that someone had gained entry to the home.
In a statement provided to The Post, a Secret Service spokesman said the agency has launched an investigation into the incident.
“Secret Service is examining a security incident that took place at a protectee site. While the protectee was unharmed, we are taking this matter seriously and have opened a comprehensive mission assurance investigation to review all facets of what occurred,” Anthony Guglielmi said. “Any deviation from our protective protocols is unacceptable and if discovered, personnel will be held accountable. Modifications to the protective posture have also been made to ensure additional security layers are in place as we conduct this comprehensive review.”
The Washington Post reports that there is no evidence the intruder knew Sullivan or sought to harm him.
Sullivan, 46, has served as Biden’s national security adviser for his entire administration, accompanying the president on several of his overseas trips and advising him on foreign policy matters.
He was formerly a deputy assistant to former President Barack Obama and national security adviser to Biden when he was vice president. He also served as a senior policy advisor for Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign, at one point pushing since-debunked theories about Donald Trump’s alleged collusion with Russia.
The incident is the latest black mark against the agency assigned to protect President Biden and other top US officials.
Last May, two Secret Service employees were sent home from South Korea following an alcohol-fueled confrontation with a local cab driver ahead of Biden’s trip to the country.
At least four Secret Service agents were also reportedly compromised last year in a bribery and infiltration scheme operated by a pair of men posing as federal agents.
The Secret Service agents, some of whom were assigned to protect Biden, his wife Jill, and Vice President Kamala Harris, were lavished with gifts and given free rent by the alleged conspirators – Arian Taherzadeh and Haider Ali.
Prosecutors say Taherzadeh and Ali sought to ingratiate themselves to the agents in order to provide them with a cover so they could further their plot to impersonate federal law enforcement officers.