Washington: Two separate security breaches occurred near the White House within minutes of each other, prompting a red alert and a brief emergency lockdown and renewing questions about the security of US President Donald Trump.
In the first incident, a man behaving suspiciously near the security fence on the North Lawn side attempted to breach security rules and enter the premises. Secret Service personnel on guard responded within moments and took him into custody. At about the same time, a second man attempted to cross the security cordon at another point along the White House perimeter.
Following the back-to-back incidents, officials closed the entry points to the complex and imposed a short lockdown. Security forces secured the surrounding areas and moved both suspects to an undisclosed location for questioning. Investigators are examining the men’s intent, including whether they have any terror links or may be mentally unwell.
History of threats
Concerns over Trump’s safety are not new. During the 2024 campaign, he survived two attempts on his life. In July 2024, at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, a gunman fired from a nearby rooftop, and a bullet grazed Trump’s right ear. In September 2024, a man hiding in the bushes at Trump’s golf course in Florida was preparing to shoot him with an AK-47-style rifle. Secret Service agents spotted the man and returned fire, and he fled before being arrested by police.
During his first term (2017-2021), Trump also faced several security breaches. In one case, a man jumped the White House fence and moved about inside the perimeter for roughly 16 minutes. Letters containing the poison ricin were also mailed to the White House but were detected by Secret Service staff in the mail room. Protesters have repeatedly tried to force their way into Trump Tower in New York as well.
Although the US president receives the world’s highest level of Secret Service protection, Trump’s combative political style and contentious decisions have drawn intense public opposition, which security watchers say heightens the risk. The latest incidents have put US intelligence and security agencies on high alert.