White House Confirms Discovery of Cocaine

Publication Date: Jul 08, 2023 10:02 PM KSA

The White House confirmed that the discovery of cocaine at the US presidential residence did not pose a threat to national security, explaining that its famous “crisis room” was empty when the powder was discovered. The cocaine was found last Sunday in the west wing of the White House, an area commonly visited by visitors, sparking a political controversy that the executive branch has been trying to resolve for several days.

White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said drugs were found near the crisis room, but that the room had not been used “for months due to ongoing construction work.” He added: “For this reason, the only people going in and out of the crisis hall during this period were the workers.” The incident caused great embarrassment for the administration of President Joe Biden, which is keen to avoid scandals during the presidential 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 the finger at President Biden’s son Hunter Biden for his past addiction. Presidential spokeswoman Karen Jean-Pierre said again on Friday that “the Biden family was not present” during the incident, calling a reporter’s question about it “incredibly irresponsible.” And the Secret Service, which is responsible for the security of high-ranking officials in the US state, confirmed on Wednesday that the powder was cocaine, although the substance was initially considered dangerous. Thus, their discovery prompted a brief evacuation of the White House as suspicious powders regularly received by mail to US official buildings are being considered as possible chemical or bacterial attacks.