White House Briefly Locked Down After Car Crash at Lafayette Square; Two Arrested
Two people were arrested near the White House on Monday after a car mounted the pavement at Lafayette Square and a second person jumped a barricade.
Image: Wikimedia Commons / Daniel Schwen
WASHINGTON, Nov. 9 — Two people were arrested near the White House on Monday morning after a car mounted the pavement at Lafayette Park and a second person jumped a security barricade, prompting a brief lockdown of the presidential compound while President Donald Trump was inside, according to Reuters. The incidents happened just before 10 a.m. ET on 9 November at the north side of the park, at 16th Street and H Street NW.
Secret Service police and National Guard troops responded after the sedan drove onto the pavement and struck an informational sign. The driver got out and clashed with officers before being taken into custody. At almost the same moment, a second person jumped a barricade at the northwest corner of the park.
- Two people were arrested near the White House on Monday morning, 9 November, after a car mounted the pavement at Lafayette Park and a second person jumped a barricade.
- The incidents happened just before 10 a.m. ET; the White House went into lockdown at 10:02 a.m. and restrictions were lifted within the hour.
- President Donald Trump was inside the residence at the time; roads around the park were closed while bomb disposal teams swept the vehicle.
Why it matters
The White House is one of the most heavily guarded sites in the country, so any breach at its perimeter triggers a full security response, even when the vehicle stops short of the gates. The lockdown came on the first day of the new lame-duck session of Congress — the same day Trump questioned the midterm results — and hours before the president’s scheduled noon meeting with Qatar’s prime minister.
| Time | What happened |
|---|---|
| Just before 10:00 a.m. | Car mounts the pavement; second person jumps a barricade |
| 10:02 a.m. | White House goes into lockdown |
| Within the hour | Restrictions lifted; roads reopen after a short closure |
| Noon | President’s scheduled meeting with Qatar’s prime minister |
Lafayette Park
Lafayette Park sits directly in front of the White House and is normally open to visitors, but tall anti-riot fencing now runs across the square after recent renovations, and National Guard troops have been stationed in the capital as part of the administration’s deployment. The car never got near the executive mansion’s gates, more than a block away.
What the Secret Service said
Reuters reported that the Metropolitan Police Department’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal team swept the vehicle as a precaution after the driver was taken into custody, and roads around the park were closed for a short time. The Secret Service said: “Just before 10:00 am, Secret Service Police and National Guard responded to the north side of Lafayette Park at 16th Street and H Street, NW, where a vehicle crashed onto the sidewalk. The driver was combative with law enforcement, but was quickly placed under arrest.” The agency added: “Around the same time, a second individual jumped a barricade near the northwest corner of Lafayette Park. That individual was also quickly placed under arrest.”
Miller’s first day
The lockdown came on Stephen Miller’s first day as White House chief of staff, and reporters in the press pool were told to stay inside the briefing room until the all-clear.
What happens next
For now, the episode looks like a security scare rather than an attack: no injuries were reported, the vehicle did not reach the White House gates, and the lockdown lasted less than an hour. The Secret Service has not said what caused the driver to mount the pavement, whether the crash was deliberate, or whether the two incidents were connected, and it has not released the identities of the two people arrested or said what charges they may face. If the two events turn out to be linked, or if either person had a motive aimed at the president, the security review will widen quickly and could bring changes to the fencing, patrols and traffic controls around Lafayette Park.
Frequently Asked Questions
Was anyone hurt in the incidents?
No injuries were reported in either incident, and the vehicle did not reach the White House gates.
Were the two incidents connected?
The Secret Service said it was not clear whether the two were related, and both remain under investigation.
What is still unknown?
The Secret Service has not released the identities of the two people arrested or said what charges they may face. It has not said what caused the driver to mount the pavement, whether the crash was deliberate, or whether the two incidents were connected.
