Ex-Secret Service agent ‘not surprised’ about White House cocaine incident

by Alex Gangitano - 07/14/23 10:57 AM ET

Former Secret Service agent Evy Poumpouras said Thursday she’s not surprised cocaine was able to get into the White House, a day after the Secret Service ended its investigation into the situation with no suspect.

“I’m not surprised because when we did the White House tours — and I was especially on the East Wing side — we would have people who would put in for tours and … because we would do a criminal check on people, and there were times, Kaitlan, that people would hit, they would be warrants out for their arrests. And so we would know John Doe is coming in for a tour, he’s got a warrant in for his arrest,” Poumpouras told CNN’s Kaitlan Collins.

She said the agency would then call the area looking for the person and help with people’s arrests.

“So I am not surprised,” she added.

Poumpouras noted that staff and tours came through the same entrance and suggested protocol should be changed to separate the entrances so there is one for staff and one for tour guests.

“I never thought the tours were a good idea. You’re bringing in people that, friends and family. It’s the White House, it’s the West Wing. I feel like an area like that should not be open to such a degree,” she said.

More from The Hill

The cocaine was found in a lobby area of the West Wing off the West Executive Avenue entrance in an area where people deposit electronics and personal items before entering, the Secret Service told The Hill.

The Secret Service announced the end of its investigation Thursday into the discovery of cocaine, citing a lack of physical evidence. The cocaine was found July 2.

The Secret Service said the packaging of the cocaine underwent fingerprint and DNA testing, and there was no surveillance video footage that could provide a lead.

The end of the investigation has caused backlash from Republicans over potential security issues at the White House and lingering questions over who the drug belonged to.

Conservative media drew uncorroborated associations between the cocaine found and the president’s son Hunter Biden, who has had a history of drug use, despite the lack of any basis for a link and the fact that neither Hunter nor the president were at the White House on the day of the discovery. The family was at Camp David at the time.