Secret Service Beefs Up Presence At White House

According to Yahoo News, The U.S. Secret Service has beefed up security at the White House in response to heightened concerns about trucker convoys heading to Washington, D.C., that are timed to coincide with President Biden’s State of the Union address on March 1, Yahoo News has learned.

The Department of Homeland Security, the FBI, Capitol Police and other law enforcement agencies are tracking multiple trucker convoys headed to Washington to protest vaccine mandates put in place to stop the spread of COVID-19, according to five law enforcement bulletins obtained by Yahoo News.

A bulleting prepared by The Department of Homeland Security notes it does not see any specific credible threat of violence “associated with the First Amendment–protected trucker convoy planning in the US” but says some “domestic violent extremists probably will be drawn to the event and could engage in premeditated or opportunistic violence.”

“The scope, scale and proposed locations of the US convoy activity may pose risks to the public safety, emergency response, and DHS operations,” the bulletin states. The convoys may reach Washington before the March 1 State of the Union address, according to the bulletin.

The latest bulletin outlines changes to security posture ahead of the State of the Union. It says that on Feb. 23, Secret Service put in place additional security measures, including in and around the White House complex. The State of the Union is a National Special Security Event, a designation that necessitates increased federal and other resources. The Secret Service is the lead agency for such events.

As agency staff envision threats, much work is created for government employees. The posted article asserts: “As the threat of the convoys disrupting the State of the Union address and normal life in the capital became more apparent, FBI and DHS officials held a meeting with 30 interagency groups and other government and law enforcement agencies to discuss the potential impact on Biden’s State of the Union address and to Washington, D.C., as a whole.

“The FBI, including the Washington Field Office, respects the rights of individuals to peacefully exercise their First Amendment rights. We do not initiate investigations based solely on an individual’s race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, or the exercise of First Amendment rights,” an FBI spokesperson said. “We are committed to working closely with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners against any individuals who intend to commit violence or criminal activity that constitutes a federal crime or poses a threat to national security. We remind members of the public to be aware of their surroundings and to report any suspicious activity to law enforcement.”

Yahoo News previously reported that U.S. Customs and Border Protection and its umbrella agency, the DHS were tracking convoys expected to begin in California near the Super Bowl and head to Washington. Yahoo News later reported that the Department of Transportation was tracking trucker convoys planned inside the U.S. and their potential disruptions to the national highway system.

On Feb. 22, the DHS and the Capitol Police asked the Defense Department for National Guard troops to help manage the havoc the trucker convoys could have on traffic, and to make sure law enforcement and emergency services in place for the State of the Union address are not diverted elsewhere. “That said, obviously we are watching,” a DHS source said. “The potential for damage is real and we need to be prepared.”