White House Security Breach: Man Arrested After Crashing Car into Presidential Gate

In a dramatic incident late Tuesday night, a man was apprehended after crashing his car into a security gate surrounding the White House, according to a statement from a Secret Service official on Wednesday.

The unsettling event unfolded around 10:37 p.m. when the individual deliberately drove his vehicle into the Secret Service vehicle gate located at the intersection of 17th and E streets NW in Washington, D.C. This area is a critical perimeter safeguard for the White House.

The swift response from the Secret Service highlights the ongoing challenges faced in securing one of the nation’s most protected sites. The incident underscores the necessity of constant vigilance and robust security measures to ensure the safety of the premises and its occupants.

(The Hill) — A man was taken into custody late Tuesday after driving his car into a portion of the White House security gate, a Secret Service official said Wednesday.

At approximately 10:37 p.m., an individual rammed his vehicle into the Secret Service vehicle gate on 17th and E streets NW in Washington, outside the White House, the official said.

U.S. Secret Service Uniformed Division officers “immediately arrested” the individual, who was taken to the hospital for mental health services, a law enforcement official told The Hill’s sister network, NewsNation.

The vehicle was assessed by Secret Service and local police and “deemed safe,” according to Secret Service.

The latest breach comes as the East Wing of the White House is under construction for President Donald Trump’s $250 million ballroom project. The demolition has faced some scrutiny.

Earlier this year, a toddler slipped through the fence. A similar incident occurred in April 2023, when one child got through a metal gate and headed toward the North Lawn before being noticed.

A month before Trump’s second inauguration, another person was arrested for attempting to climb a temporary gate near the complex.