It wasn’t a tourist or a visitor that dropped the bag of cocaine inside the White House, it has been confirmed.
Initial reports said the drugs were found in the library area of the White House, which is open to tourists. But in a twist, it has now been confirmed that the drugs were found in the highly restricted West Wing — where President Joe Biden’s Oval Office is located.
The White House was briefly evacuated Sunday evening after the Secret Service discovered the illegal drug in a common area.
Biden was with his troubled son, Hunter, over the weekend after the extended family left for Camp David on Friday and were not in the White House the drugs were found.
There was widespread speculation among critics on social media that the drugs could have belonged to Hunter, although there is no evidence yet to suggest this rumor is true.
Secret Service agents were doing routine rounds on Sunday when they found the white powder. But officials did not say if it was found in any particular West Wing office.
The complex was evacuated at about 8:45 p.m. Sunday as fire and emergency crews were brought in to do a rapid test, which preliminarily identified cocaine. The White House was soon reopened and the powder was sent for further testing.
The Secret Service said in a statement the White House was closed as a precaution as emergency crews investigated, and that the District of Columbia fire department was called in to evaluate and determine that the substance was not hazardous.
“The item was sent for further evaluation and an investigation into the cause and manner of how it entered the White House is pending,” the Secret Service said.
The Horn editorial team and the Associated Press contributed to this article