WASHINGTON (NewsNation) — The U.S. Secret Service is investigating “an unknown item” that was found at the White House on Sunday, officials confirmed to NewsNation.
A preliminary test indicated that the white powder found was cocaine, prompting a brief evacuation, White House spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi confirmed to NewsNation. He said it was found “inside a work area.”
Staff members, press and those who take hard-to-get West Wing tours could have had access to where it was found.
Members of the Uniformed Division of the Secret Service discovered the substance during their routine rounds in the building, according to Guglielmi.
The discovery led to increased security measures and a temporary evacuation of the executive mansion. President Biden was not present in the White House during that time, The Washington Post reported.
Guglielmi didn’t say where in the White House the substance was found. He said “an investigation into the cause and manner” of how the substance entered the White House is ongoing.
Guglielmi said the D.C. fire department determined the substance did not present a threat.