Obama "obviously concerned" about White House security breach
President Obama was "obviously concerned," a White House spokesman said Monday, that a man wielding a knife managed to jump the White House fence on Friday night and actually get inside before being apprehended.
At the same time, spokesman Josh Earnest said, Mr. Obama has "complete confidence" in the Secret Service to reform security at the White House as necessary
Later on Monday, Mr. Obama said, "Secret Service does a great job. I am grateful for the sacrifices they make for me and my family."
The Secret Service is conducting a review of the incident and of White House security procedures. That includes a review of tactical and non-tactical assets inside and outside the fence, technical and physical security enhancements that may be necessary, and White House staffing.
"The Secret Service has the challenging task of balancing the need to ensure the safety and security of the first family, while also ensuring that the White House continues to be the people's house," Earnest said.
While the White House obviously serves as the first family's residence and an office building for the executive branch, it also is a popular tourist destination, with thousands of people touring the White House grounds on a typical day. The White House is also adjacent to Lafayette Park, where demonstrators regularly gather. Earnest called it "among the more prominent First Amendment zones in the country."
The man who breached White House security Friday, Omar Gonzalez, made his initial appearance in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on Monday. He is charged with unlawfully entering a restricted building or grounds, while carrying a deadly or dangerous weapon. The charge is punishable by a statutory maximum of 10 years in prison.
Gonzalez is being detained for the next 10 days because he has been deemed "a danger to the president," as well as a flight risk since he is homeless. Additionally, the state of Virginia is considering whether to revoke his bond on a previous felony charge of evading arrest. On July 19, he was arrested in Wythe County, Virginia for evading arrest and was found to be in possession of a sawed-off shotgun and s sniper rifle which is a felony offense. He was also found to have a Bible and a map of the Washington, D.C. area with the White House and the Masonic Temple in Alexandria, Virginia circled.
