Secret Service: Substance found at White House was cocaine

The Secret Service confirmed Wednesday that a substance found at the White House over the weekend was cocaine.

The Secret Service is still investigating the “cause and manner of how it entered the White House,” it said.

On Sunday, the White House complex went into “a precautionary closure as officers from the Secret Service Uniformed Division investigated an unknown item found inside a work area,” the Secret Service said in a statement.

The D.C. Fire Department also was called to evaluate the item, which it “quickly determined” was “non-hazardous.” The item was then sent for further evaluation, which was when it was confirmed to be cocaine.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre fielded questions on the matter on Wednesday, telling reporters that President Biden has been briefed on the situation and that the administration is confident the Secret Service can get to the bottom of the situation. 

Jean-Pierre noted that West Wing tours took place on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, adding that the cocaine was found at a well-traveled area. She would not speculate on who left the drug.

“Where this was discovered is a heavily traveled area where many… West Wing visitors come through this particular area,” she said.

The cocaine was found near where visitors taking West Wing tours are asked to leave their cell phones before entering, The Washington Post reported, citing people familiar with the investigation. A preliminary test had indicated that it was cocaine before it was confirmed Wednesday.

Biden was not at the White House when the cocaine was found. Biden and members of his family were at Camp David over the weekend and returned to the White House on Tuesday.

West Wing tours are organized through White House staff, and some take place on the weekend.

There is strict security to get onto the White House complex, and visitors are asked to leave their phones in small boxes before entering the West Wing.

Updated 2:57 p.m.