The White House confirmed on Friday that finding cocaine in the US presidential residence did not endanger national security, explaining that its famous “crisis room” was empty when the powder was discovered.
The cocaine was found Sunday in the West Wing of the White House, in an area usually frequented by visitors, sparking a political controversy that the executive branch has been trying to calm down for days.
White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said the drugs were found near the crisis room, but that the room had not been used “for months due to construction work going on.”
“For this reason, the only people entering and exiting the crisis room during this period were workers,” he added.
The incident led to great embarrassment for President Joe Biden’s administration, which seeks to avoid scandals during the former president’s term.
Sullivan reiterated that White House staff are subject to a strict drug testing policy.
After the discovery of cocaine was announced, a number of right-wing figures pointed fingers at President Hunter Biden’s son for his past addiction.
A spokeswoman for the presidency, Karen Jean-Pierre, stated again Friday that “the Biden family was not present” when the incident occurred, describing a journalist’s question on this matter as “incredibly irresponsible.”
And the Secret Service – responsible for the security of senior officials in the US state – confirmed on Wednesday that the powder was cocaine, after the substance was initially considered dangerous.
So finding them prompted a brief White House evacuation as suspicious powders regularly received in the mail at US official buildings are treated as potential chemical or bacterial attacks.
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2023-07-08 05:37:09
