Bidens' dog, Commander, removed from White House after several documented attacks on Secret Service personnel
President Biden's German shepherd is no longer at the White House in the wake of multiple documented reports of aggressive behavior against Secret Service staff members.
Elizabeth Alexander, a spokesperson for first lady Jill Biden, confirmed to CBS News in a statement Wednesday evening that the family dog, named Commander, "is not presently on the White House campus while next steps are evaluated."
Alexander did not say where Commander had been taken, or whether the move from the White House would be permanent.
"The President and First Lady care deeply about the safety of those who work at the White House and those who protect them every day," Alexander said. "They remain grateful for the patience and support of the U.S. Secret Service and all involved, as they continue to work through solutions."
There have been at least 11 documented attacks by the 2-year-old Commander against Secret Service personnel.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, asked Thursday by CBS News' Nancy Cordes whether she's ever had a troubling encounter with Commander, replied, "No, not at all." She also said, "I've been around Commander many times, and I was never wary, and I've never been bit by Commander."
In July, nearly 200-pages of redacted federal documents were released that described 10 of those alleged attacks by the German shepherd on Secret Service officers and on agents, dating back to October 2022. None of the injuries sustained by the victims were serious, the documents said.
An eleventh attack was reported on Sept. 25, in which a uniformed Secret Service officer "came in contact" with Commander at the White House "and was bitten."
On Wednesday, CNN, citing sources, said the number of reported attacks was believed to be higher, and included other groups of White House employees.
Commander was given to the Bidens as a puppy in December of 2021 after the death of their German shepherd, Champ, earlier that year.
That same year, Biden's other German shepherd, Major, was relocated to Delaware to live with friends of the Bidens, after he was involved in multiple biting incidents at the White House.
