White House Security Is A Joke!

Over the weekend, a man carrying a small knife managed to scale a fence at the North Lawn of the White House, sprint across the grass and actually go inside the door leading to the Obama family’s residence — all without being stopped.  Make no mistake about it: White House security has just been exposed as a joke!

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Only moments before the incident, President Obama and his family had boarded the Marine One helicopter in route to Camp David.  During the president’s departure from the South Lawn, the man apparently hopped the iron fence surrounding the White House and made his way to the front door without detection, prompting an immediate evacuation.  This is a HUGE problem.

The intruder was identified as Omar J. Gonzalez, a 42-year-old U.S. Army veteran from Copperas Cove, Texas.  Following his arrest, Gonzalez told Secret Service agents he was “concerned that the atmosphere was collapsing” and needed to warn the president “so he could get word out to the people.” Gonzalez’s family said he suffers from post-traumatic syndrome from his years of military service and is not mentally well.

Since the enormous security breach, The Secret Service has desperately tried (but failed) to put as positive a spin on the incident as possible.  On Sunday, they released a statement saying they didn’t shoot the man on site because he wasn’t carrying any serious weapons (how did they know this beforehand??).  They also said they were quickly able to determine that the man was mentally unstable and therefore not a legitimate threat.  Hmmm…

No matter how they try to spin it, the security breach is an URGENT problem.  The White House is said to have numerous sensors all around its perimeter, making it virtually impossible for anyone to penetrate. Sharpshooters are also supposed to be present at all times on the roof, ready to shoot and kill anyone who dares to breach United States security.  So, where were they?  How did Gonzalez make it past what is supposed to be the most severe security in the nation???

Gonzalez was merely deranged and not loaded with weaponry to bring the White House down. However, an intruder could have been a foreign terrorist tasked with bringing harm to the president and his family. Or, several intruders could have potentially hopped the fence at once with the intent of causing mass casualties and destruction.  Yes, the president had just left — but several members of his staff were on the premises.  Allowing an intruder to run across the lawn and physically enter America’s White House is simply inexcusable!!

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The Secret Service is now weighing various options to make the perimeter of the White House safer for the first family.  The options being considered include closing the sidewalk at the north lawn to all pedestrian traffic, and/or moving the security checkpoint for White House visitors to a block or more away. White House spokesman Josh Earnest said the Secret Service investigation will include a review of protective efforts both inside the White House grounds and outside the fence line along Pennsylvania Avenue, including staffing and threat assessment policies and procedures.

An embarrassed Secret Service department has since revved up security around the White House so as to avert a copycat intruder, or terrorists who may consider this lack of security their green light to bring harm. Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson said he would ultimately review the findings of the investigation ordered by Secret Service Director Julia Pierson. Johnson said the public should not rush to judgment about the security breach and urged against second-guessing security officers whom he said “had only seconds to act.”

Whatever is decided, The Secret Service needs to act FAST.  There is unquestionably no way any President of the United States should be left this vulnerable and in harms way.