{{pp|small=yes}} {{Short description|Discovery of cocaine in residence of US president}} {{use mdy dates|date=July 2023}} {{Infobox incident | date = July 2, 2023 | location = White House, Washington, D.C., United States | cause = Discovery of a small plastic bag with cocaine | outcome = {{plainlist| * Evacuation * Investigation * No charges or arrests }} }} On July 2, 2023, the United States Secret Service found a small plastic bag containing less than a gram of powder cocaine inside the White House.<ref name="Diamond">{{cite news |last1=Diamond |first1=Jeremy |title=First on CNN: Secret Service concludes cocaine investigation, no suspect identified|url=https://www.cnn.com/2023/07/13/politics/white-house-cocaine-investigation/index.html |publisher=CNN |date=July 13, 2023|access-date=July 15, 2023}}</ref> The initial discovery prompted an evacuation of the White House. President Joe Biden and his family were at Camp David in Maryland at the time the cocaine was discovered.<ref>{{cite news |last=Yousif |first=Nadine |date=July 4, 2023 |title=Suspected cocaine found at White House sparking evacuation |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-66104993 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230708042351/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-66104993 |archive-date=July 8, 2023 |access-date=July 5, 2023 |work=BBC News}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{cite news |last=Long |first=Colleen |last2=Balsamo |first2=Mike |date=July 4, 2023 |title=Suspicious powder found at the White House when Biden was gone was cocaine, AP sources say |url=https://apnews.com/article/white-house-suspicious-substance-cocaine-bd7a792357a85453cf55b6c955ff1b4f |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230708042350/https://apnews.com/article/white-house-suspicious-substance-cocaine-bd7a792357a85453cf55b6c955ff1b4f |archive-date=July 8, 2023 |access-date=July 5, 2023 |work=AP News}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Mason |first=Jeff |last2=Singh |first2=Kanishka |date=July 4, 2023 |title=White powder found at White House identified as cocaine -source |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/us/white-powder-found-white-house-identified-cocaine-washington-post-2023-07-04/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230708042352/https://www.reuters.com/world/us/white-powder-found-white-house-identified-cocaine-washington-post-2023-07-04/ |archive-date=July 8, 2023 |access-date=July 5, 2023 |work=Reuters}}</ref> The Secret Service initiated an investigation as to how the cocaine entered the White House.<ref>{{cite news |last=Rogers |first=Katie |date=July 4, 2023 |title=Secret Service Examining How Suspected Cocaine Ended Up at the White House |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/04/us/politics/white-house-cocaine-white-substance.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230707232114/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/04/us/politics/white-house-cocaine-white-substance.html |archive-date=July 7, 2023 |access-date=July 5, 2023 |work=The New York Times}}</ref> The investigation yielded no forensic evidence and the Secret Service could not narrow below 500 the number of staff or visitors who may have left the cocaine; the investigation was closed after eleven days.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Ainsley |first1=Julia |date=July 14, 2023 |title=Why the Secret Service closed its investigation of cocaine found at the White House without conducting interviews |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/secret-service-closed-investigation-cocaine-white-house-no-interviews-rcna93938 |access-date=July 15, 2023 |work=NBC News |publisher=}}</ref>
==Investigation== ===Discovery=== While conducting routine patrol of the White House, Secret Service agents found a small, clear plastic bag containing white powder.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Long |first=Colleen |last2=Miller |first2=Zeke |author-link2=Zeke Miller |last3=Balsamo |first3=Michael |date=2023-07-05 |title=Secondary test of powder found in West Wing lobby shows it's cocaine, Biden briefed on investigation |url=https://apnews.com/article/white-house-cocaine-west-wing-secret-service-6b8aae2c55e5c1ecf860a70a0533dbed |access-date=2024-06-15 |website=AP News |language=en}}</ref><ref name="AP News">{{cite web |last=Long |first=Colleen |last2=Balsamo |first2=Michael |date=July 13, 2023 |title=No fingerprints, DNA sample or leads from cocaine found at the White House, the Secret Service says |url=https://apnews.com/article/cocaine-white-house-biden-drugs-west-wing-e6bf17a4bfe7d450aa66005ad6feeec6 |access-date=July 16, 2023 |work=Associated Press}}</ref>
At 8:45{{nbsp}}p.m., as a precautionary measure, the White House complex was evacuated while the DC FEMS conducted tests on the powder. DC FEMS reported that the substance was located in the library, and an on-scene analysis identified it as cocaine.<ref>{{cite news | last = Helmore | first = Edward | date = July 5, 2023 | title = Lab test confirms white powder found at White House is cocaine | url = https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/jul/05/white-house-cocaine-lab-test | work = The Guardian|access-date=September 13, 2023}}</ref><ref name=":0" /> Subsequent reports said the cocaine was discovered in a heavily trafficked vestibule of the West Wing near the West Executive street lobby, an area accessible to tour groups.<ref name="AP News"/><ref name="Area">{{cite web |last=O'Donnell |first=Kelly |last2=Lebowitz |first2=Megan |date=July 6, 2023 |title=Cocaine found in the White House was in a different location than previously reported, sources say |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/cocaine-found-white-house-was-different-location-previously-reported-s-rcna92906 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230707213935/https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/cocaine-found-white-house-was-different-location-previously-reported-s-rcna92906 |archive-date=July 7, 2023 |access-date=July 8, 2023 |work=NBC News}}</ref> The drug was specifically found in one of the cubbies that visitors use to store mobile phones before entering the West Wing.<ref name="Quinn">{{cite web |last=Quinn |first=Melissa |date=July 13, 2023 |title=Secret Service closes investigation into cocaine found at White House with no suspect identified |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/white-house-cocaine-found-secret-service-investigation-closes/ |access-date=July 17, 2023 |work=CBS News}}</ref><ref name="Diamond"/><ref>{{Cite web |last=Barr |first=Luke |date=14 November 2023 |title=Photos show cocaine found inside White House complex in July |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/photos-show-cocaine-found-inside-white-house-complex/story?id=104874539 |access-date=2025-07-30 |website=ABC News |language=en}}</ref>
===Investigation=== Testing by the National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures Center found that the powder discovered was cocaine; it tested negative for biothreats. The FBI Laboratory also did extensive chemical and forensics testing. Neither latent fingerprints nor a DNA sample was found.<ref name="AP News"/> Two senior law enforcement officials told ''CBS News'' that the FBI analysis found 207.6 mg (.007 ounces) of cocaine.<ref name=Quinn/>
The Secret Service ended the investigation on July 13 without identifying a subject.<ref name="AP News"/><ref name="Diamond"/> Video surveillance cameras are located in the general area, but not aimed directly at the cubbies where the drug was discovered.<ref name="Diamond"/> A large number of people transit the area where the cocaine was found, including tourists, visitors, staffers, facilities operations workers, and military personnel.<ref name=Area/> Hundreds of people passed through over the weekend before the bag's discovery.<ref name=Area/><ref name=Quinn/> Investigators believe that the cocaine was most likely left by a tourist or visitor.<ref name="AP News"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/meet-the-press/video/west-wing-tour-guest-likely-brought-cocaine-in-white-house-sources-say-186880069552|title=West Wing tour guest likely brought cocaine in, White House sources say|work=NBC News|date=July 5, 2023|access-date=July 8, 2023|archive-date=July 9, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230709012137/https://www.nbcnews.com/meet-the-press/video/west-wing-tour-guest-likely-brought-cocaine-in-white-house-sources-say-186880069552|url-status=live}}</ref> There were tours on the day the drugs were found, as well as on each of the two preceding days.<ref name="AP News"/>
==Reactions== ===White House=== President Joe Biden also stated that it is "incredibly important" for the Secret Service to determine how the cocaine got there.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rahman |first=Khaleda |date=2023-07-09 |title=Cocaine at the White House—What we know |url=https://www.newsweek.com/cocaine-update-white-house-secret-service-latest-1811756 |access-date=2023-07-09 |website=Newsweek |language=en |archive-date=2023-07-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230709163823/https://www.newsweek.com/cocaine-update-white-house-secret-service-latest-1811756 |url-status=live }}</ref> National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told reporters that the Situation Room had been under construction for months, and the only people going in and out of that room were construction workers.<ref>{{cite web | title = Press Briefing by Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan | publisher = The White House | date = July 7, 2023 | url = https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefing-room/press-briefings/2023/07/07/press-briefing-by-press-secretary-karine-jean-pierre-and-national-security-advisor-jake-sullivan-5/|access-date=July 9, 2023}}</ref>
Karine Jean-Pierre, the White House Press Secretary, said that the cocaine was found in a highly trafficked area of the White House and that the Biden family "were at Camp David. They were not here Friday". This was contradicted by a ''Politico'' reporter who observed the Biden family depart the White House Friday evening.<ref>{{cite news | last = Garrison | first = Joey | date = July 7, 2023 | title = White House promises 'appropriate consequences' if cocaine came from staffer | url = https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2023/07/07/white-house-appropriate-consequences-if-cocaine-came-from-staffer/70392697007/ | work = USA Today|access-date=September 13, 2023}}</ref>
===Criticism=== The culprit for the cocaine has not been identified, but media and political figures used the story as a source for innuendo about the president's son Hunter Biden, at the time in recovery from drug addiction.<ref name=FendsOff>{{cite news | last = Gangitano | first = Alex | date = July 9, 2023 | title = White House fends off GOP's Hunter Biden attacks | url = https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/4085914-white-house-fends-off-gops-hunter-biden-attacks/ | work = The Hill|access-date=July 9, 2023}}</ref><ref name=PoliticalFodder>{{Cite web |last=Gangitano |first=Alex |date=July 6, 2023|title=White House cocaine discovery becomes GOP 'political fodder' |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/4084266-white-house-cocaine-discovery-becomes-gop-political-fodder/ |access-date=July 8, 2023 |website=The Hill |language=en-US |archive-date=July 8, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230708042352/https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/4084266-white-house-cocaine-discovery-becomes-gop-political-fodder/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
Former President Donald Trump, in posts on his social media site Truth Social, baselessly claimed that the cocaine was "for the use of ... Hunter & Joe Biden" and suggested that Hunter Biden be executed.<ref name="Delaney">{{Cite web |last=Delaney |first=Arthur |date=2023-07-05 |title=Donald Trump Baselessly Suggests Joe Biden Uses Cocaine, Calls Prosecutor 'Crackhead' |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-biden-cocaine_n_64a5d0ffe4b02fb0e6f61022 |access-date=2024-06-15 |website=HuffPost |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Woodward |first=Alex |date=July 11, 2023 |title=Trump suggests Hunter Biden should get 'a death sentence' in unhinged attacks as investigations close in |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-hunter-biden-cocaine-justice-department-b2373556.html |access-date=July 17, 2023 |work=The Independent}}</ref> He attacked Jack Smith, the special counsel leading investigations into his conduct, writing: "Has Deranged Jack Smith, the crazy, Trump hating Special Prosecutor, been seen in the area of the COCAINE? He looks like a crackhead to me!"<ref name=Delaney/> Florida governor Ron DeSantis, a candidate for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, disparaged the Biden administration over the discovery, saying, "I've long believed, I think a lot of us have believed that the Biden administration's been blowing it on a lot of fronts. But I guess it's a little bit more literal than even I had thought".<ref>{{cite web |last=Vakil |first=Caroline |date=July 5, 2023 |title=DeSantis, Trump mock Biden administration after cocaine found at White House |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/4082423-desantis-mocks-biden-administration-after-cocaine-found-at-white-house/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230707003446/https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/4082423-desantis-mocks-biden-administration-after-cocaine-found-at-white-house/ |archive-date=July 7, 2023 |access-date=July 8, 2023 |work=The Hill}}</ref>
Trump's former press secretary, Kayleigh McEnany said, "For it to be Hunter Biden, he left on Friday, he was at Camp David, there is no way, it is inconceivable to think cocaine could sit for a 72-hour-period so I would rule him out at this point."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Tran |first=Ken |date=6 July 2023 |title=Former Trump press secretary: 'No way' Hunter Biden was source of cocaine at White House |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2023/07/06/kayleigh-mcenany-white-house-cocaine-hunter-biden/70388525007/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230707131342/https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2023/07/06/kayleigh-mcenany-white-house-cocaine-hunter-biden/70388525007/ |archive-date=2023-07-07 |access-date=2023-07-08 |website=USA TODAY |language=en-US}}</ref> Republican Senator Tom Cotton wrote to Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle on July 5, asking where the cocaine was found, how often illegal drugs have been found, and whether the Secret Service will make an arrest if a subject is identified.<ref name="Axios">{{cite web |last=Solender |first=Andrew |date=July 5, 2023 |title=GOP senator probes White House cocaine discovery |url=https://www.axios.com/2023/07/05/tom-cotton-white-house-cocaine |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230708181622/https://www.axios.com/2023/07/05/tom-cotton-white-house-cocaine |archive-date=July 8, 2023 |access-date=July 8, 2023 |work=Axios}}</ref> Cotton also asked if the White House is secure and if not, what the plan is to correct security flaws, as well as statistics on K-9 screenings, details on security audits, and a list of people not subject to full security screening.<ref name="Axios"/> James Comer, Republican Chair of the House Oversight Committee, sent a letter to Cheatle requesting a briefing.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.politico.com/minutes/congress/07-7-2023/house-gop-cocaine-probe/|title=House Oversight Chair James Comer is requesting a briefing and information from the Secret Service after cocaine was found at the White House.|work=Politico|date=July 7, 2023|access-date=July 8, 2023|archive-date=July 8, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230708010052/https://www.politico.com/minutes/congress/07-7-2023/house-gop-cocaine-probe/|url-status=live}}</ref>
=== Ongoing === The investigation was reopened in 2025 by the Trump administration. Hunter Biden denied responsibility during an interview with the YouTuber Andrew Callaghan in July 2025, saying he had "not touched a drop of alcohol or a drug" since June 2019. "Why would I bring cocaine into the White House and stick it into a cubby outside of the situation room in the West Wing?"
==See also== * Cocaine in the United States
==References== {{reflist}}
{{Joe Biden}} {{White House}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:White House cocaine incident, 2023}} Category:2023 controversies in the United States Category:2023 in Washington, D.C. Category:July 2023 crimes in the United States Category:Biden administration controversies Category:Cocaine in the United States Category:United States Secret Service Cocaine incident Category:Conspiracy theories promoted by Donald Trump