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Intruder Gets Within Steps of White House Intruder Gets Within Steps of White House
(about 4 hours later)
WASHINGTON — A man carrying a backpack jumped over a fence and got within several steps of the White House before being arrested late Friday, the Secret Service said. The intrusion, the first reported since President Trump took office, came as the president was inside the residence.WASHINGTON — A man carrying a backpack jumped over a fence and got within several steps of the White House before being arrested late Friday, the Secret Service said. The intrusion, the first reported since President Trump took office, came as the president was inside the residence.
A Secret Service official said the intruder did not pose a threat to Mr. Trump. But the breach was more serious than most other cases of fence-jumping at the White House: The man was able to elude multiple layers of security before being stopped near the entrance at the South Portico.A Secret Service official said the intruder did not pose a threat to Mr. Trump. But the breach was more serious than most other cases of fence-jumping at the White House: The man was able to elude multiple layers of security before being stopped near the entrance at the South Portico.
The intruder, identified as Jonathan Tuan Tran, 26, of Milpitas, Calif., was charged with entering a restricted area “while using or carrying a dangerous weapon.” The Secret Service official said that he was not armed and that his backpack did not contain any hazardous materials, but that he was carrying two cans of pepper spray. The intruder, identified as Jonathan Tuan-Anh Tran, 26, of Milpitas, Calif., was charged with entering a restricted area “while using or carrying a dangerous weapon.” The Secret Service official said that he was not armed and that his backpack did not contain any hazardous materials, but that he was carrying two cans of pepper spray.
Mr. Tran told the officer who arrested him that he had an appointment with the president. When confronted by the officer who arrested him, Mr. Tran said, “I am a friend of the president. I have an appointment,” according to a court document filed in the case. The officer said Mr. Tran was wearing a hooded jacket or sweater.
In addition to the pepper spray, Mr. Tran was carrying an American passport, an Apple laptop, a book by Mr. Trump and a letter to the president, in which he referred to “Russian Hackers.” In the letter, Mr. Tran said that he had been followed, that his phone calls and emails had been intercepted, and that he had “been called schizophrenic.”
Speaking to reporters on Saturday at a meeting of cabinet members at Trump National Golf Club in Sterling, Va., Mr. Trump said the “Secret Service did a fantastic job last night.” He described Mr. Tran as a “troubled person.”Speaking to reporters on Saturday at a meeting of cabinet members at Trump National Golf Club in Sterling, Va., Mr. Trump said the “Secret Service did a fantastic job last night.” He described Mr. Tran as a “troubled person.”
The Secret Service said in a statement that at about 11:38 p.m., “an individual scaled the outer perimeter fence by the Treasury Building and East Executive Avenue,” adding, “Secret Service Uniformed Division officers arrested the individual on the south grounds without further incident.”The Secret Service said in a statement that at about 11:38 p.m., “an individual scaled the outer perimeter fence by the Treasury Building and East Executive Avenue,” adding, “Secret Service Uniformed Division officers arrested the individual on the south grounds without further incident.”
But the court document suggested that Mr. Tran had been able to walk unimpeded alongside the residence until he nearly reached the entrance at the South Portico. The east side of the White House is where guests enter the building for social events. It is separated from the Treasury Department by a fence.
Mr. Tran had no criminal record and no history with the Secret Service, the official said. Officers searched the north and south grounds of the White House and found nothing amiss.Mr. Tran had no criminal record and no history with the Secret Service, the official said. Officers searched the north and south grounds of the White House and found nothing amiss.
Security at the White House became a major issue in 2014, when there were several cases of intruders scaling the fence and entering the grounds. In one episode, a man carrying a knife, Omar J. Gonzalez, managed to overpower a Secret Service agent inside the North Portico entrance and run through the ceremonial East Room before he was tackled.Security at the White House became a major issue in 2014, when there were several cases of intruders scaling the fence and entering the grounds. In one episode, a man carrying a knife, Omar J. Gonzalez, managed to overpower a Secret Service agent inside the North Portico entrance and run through the ceremonial East Room before he was tackled.
The Secret Service came under criticism because in its initial account of the episode, officials indicated that Mr. Gonzalez had made it only steps inside the North Portico after running through the door. The fuller account emerged from Representative Jason Chaffetz, Republican of Utah and chairman of a subcommittee that investigated the breach.The Secret Service came under criticism because in its initial account of the episode, officials indicated that Mr. Gonzalez had made it only steps inside the North Portico after running through the door. The fuller account emerged from Representative Jason Chaffetz, Republican of Utah and chairman of a subcommittee that investigated the breach.
The National Capital Planning Commission recently approved plans for the Secret Service to install a stronger and higher perimeter fence around the White House. In 2015, the Secret Service added spikes to the top of the fence on the north and south sides of the grounds as a temporary deterrent.The National Capital Planning Commission recently approved plans for the Secret Service to install a stronger and higher perimeter fence around the White House. In 2015, the Secret Service added spikes to the top of the fence on the north and south sides of the grounds as a temporary deterrent.