The Republican National Committee’s Washington headquarters was briefly evacuated on Wednesday as police investigated two vials of blood that had been addressed to former President Donald Trump following the presumptive presidential nominee’s takeover of the national party apparatus.
Quick Read
- The Republican National Committee’s (RNC) headquarters in Washington, D.C., was evacuated after two vials of blood addressed to former President Donald Trump were discovered.
- Hazardous-materials teams and U.S. Capitol Police responded to investigate the vials, with ongoing efforts to determine if anyone came into contact with the blood and to identify its source.
- The RNC chairman, Michael Whatley, condemned the incident as a “revolting attack” and praised law enforcement for their swift response, stating that staff resumed office duties shortly after the lockdown was cleared.
- White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre condemned threats, emphasizing they have no place in politics or anywhere else.
- The U.S. Secret Service, Metropolitan Police Department, and local fire department referred inquiries to the Capitol Police.
- The Capitol Police advised people to avoid the area around the RNC, and the House sergeant at arms informed about traffic restrictions due to the law enforcement activity.
- The incident occurred shortly after Trump’s takeover of the RNC leadership, including the appointment of his daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, as national vice chair and Michael Whatley as RNC chairman.
- The situation unfolded less than two months before the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, where Trump is expected to be formally nominated as the GOP’s 2024 presidential candidate.
- Significant protests are anticipated at the convention, and the RNC has requested the Secret Service to maintain greater distance between protesters and the convention site for safety reasons.
The Associated Press has the story:
Republican National Committee’s headquarters evacuated after vials of blood are addressed to Trump
Newslooks- WASHINGTON (AP) —
The Republican National Committee’s Washington headquarters was briefly evacuated on Wednesday as police investigated two vials of blood that had been addressed to former President Donald Trump following the presumptive presidential nominee’s takeover of the national party apparatus.
Hazardous-materials teams were called in after the vials were discovered, according to the U.S. Capitol Police, who said they would continue to investigate. It was unclear if anyone came into contact with the blood and to whom it belonged.
The vials were addressed to Trump, according to a person familiar with the situation but not authorized to speak about it publicly. It was unclear whether any message accompanied the vials explaining why they were sent.
The RNC chairman, Michael Whatley, decried the “revolting attack” but did not offer more details.
“We are thankful to law enforcement, who responded quickly and ensured everyone’s safety. The lockdown has been cleared and staff has resumed their office duties because we remain unintimidated and undeterred in our efforts to elect President Trump to the White House,” Whatley said in a statement.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre condemned “any form of threats,” adding, “That has no place in our politics, no place anywhere.”
The U.S. Secret Service did not immediately return messages seeking comment. The Metropolitan Police Department and the local fire department referred comment to the Capitol Police.
Earlier Wednesday, the Capitol Police issued a statement advising people to avoid the block where the RNC is located, a short walk southeast of the Capitol. The House sergeant at arms, the U.S. House of Representatives’ chief law enforcement and protocol officer, sent out information advising traffic restrictions in the area “due to law enforcement activity at the RNC.”
Trump’s handpicked leadership — including his daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, as the party’s national vice chair and former North Carolina GOP Chairman Michael Whatley as RNC chairman — recently took over the RNC, completing his takeover of the national party as he closes in on a third straight GOP presidential nomination. A Trump campaign senior adviser, Chris LaCivita, has taken over as the RNC chief of staff.
Wednesday’s situation comes less than two months from the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, where Trump is slated to become the party’s official 2024 nominee and significant protests are expected. According to a letter sent last month to the Secret Service, RNC counsel Todd Steggerda asked officials to keep protesters back farther from the site than had been originally planned, arguing that an existing plan “creates an elevated and untenable safety risk to the attending public.”
