Updated Oct 22, 2025 - Politics & Policy

Man arrested after crashing into White House security gate: Secret Service

Rebecca Falconer

A vehicle is seen after ramming a security barricade at the White House complex in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday night. Photo: Andrew Leyden/Getty Images

A man drove a vehicle into the U.S. Secret Service vehicle gate outside the White House on Tuesday night before being arrested, the USSS said.

The big picture: President Trump was inside the White House when the crash happened. While the building wasn't locked down, the Secret Service told Axios in a statement first shared with the New York Times that some closures around the complex would remain temporarily "as teams investigate the cause and manner of the collision."

The latest: A Secret Service spokesperson said charges for Unlawful Entry and Destruction of Government Property against the driver were currently pending.

"We appreciate the swift actions of our Uniformed Division officers and are grateful for the Metropolitan Police Department for their prompt response," the spokesperson added in their email.

Driving the news: The incident occurred at the security gate that's on the corner of 17th and E Streets near the south side of the White House Grounds at 10:37pm ET, per a Secret Service post on X late Tuesday.

USSS spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi said via email Wednesday morning that the driver was taken to an area hospital for a mental health assessment.

Zoom in: "DHS privacy policy prohibits the release of names until at which point charges are formally filed by the office of the United States attorney," Guglielmi noted.

The vehicle was assessed by Secret Service and the Metropolitan Police Department and deemed safe, per a statement from USSS spokesperson Melissa McKenzie on Wednesday morning.
"Additional information will be provided upon conclusion of the investigation," she added in the email.
The White House did not immediately respond to Axios' Tuesday night request for comment. The Metropolitan Police Department referred Axios to the USSS for comment.

Go deeper: Secret Service finds hunting stand with line of sight to Trump's Air Force One in Florida

Editor's note: This article has been updated with additional details throughout.

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Man arrested after crashing into White House security gate: Secret Service

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