Man tackled to the ground after attempting to break into White House - with Donald Trump inside

Dan McDonald
Thu, 16 Apr 2026 23:36:49 +0000

A man has been tackled to the ground by Secret Service agents and arrested after attempting to break into the White House.

The individual, whose identity remains unknown, allegedly made a dash for the entrance on Thursday morning before attempting to scale a perimeter fence at the President's residence.

However, Secret Service officers apprehended the man almost immediately, hauling him to the ground in a swift takedown.

Donald Trump is believed to have been inside the building during the attempted breach, as he prepared to leave Washington DC for a two-day trip to Nevada and Arizona.

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In a statement, Secret Service communications chief Anthony Guglielmi said: “Shortly after 11.30 am, a man was quickly detained by uniformed US Secret Service police officers after jumping over a construction bollard near the Treasury Building on the northeast side of the complex.

“Officers encountered the individual near a pedestrian gate, where he engaged in a physical altercation before being taken into custody," he added.

Mr Guglielmi confirmed one Secret Service officer suffered a laceration during the scuffle - but his injuries have been described as non-life-threatening.

The suspected intruder is believed to have been taken into custody after the incident.

Agents swarmed the area around the complex in the wake of the attempted break-in, one local witness reported.

It is the second security incident to be reported at White House in the past few weeks.

On March 11, Christopher Cavanaugh, 35, was arrested after a van ploughed through a security barrier near the complex.

He was later charged with unlawful entry and destruction of property, according to local media reports.

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Mr Cavanaugh - originally from Ohio - is said to have told Secret Service agents that was trying to “deliver a present" to Mr Trump.

The 35-year-old was reportedly wearing a t-shirt which read, “Trump is my President, Jesus is my saviour,” during the incident.

The area was subsequently blocked off by Secret Service and police vehicles following the crash, which took place at the northeast corner of Lafayette Park - just north of the White House.

Mr Trump is believed to have been inside the building at the time.

Since the start of the Iran war, the Secret Service has ramped up security measures at sensitive American sites both domestically and abroad.

After the conflict erupted, the agency said: "The US Secret Service is actively monitoring the situation in Iran and remains in close coordination with our federal and local partners.

"The agency’s protective model is designed to be adaptable to meet the needs of the current security environment and ensure the continued safety of our protectees, protective sites, and the surrounding communities.

"While we do not discuss our specific protective measures for operational security reasons, the public may notice an increased law enforcement and federal presence around US Secret Service protected sites."