Commander, the German Shepherd owned by President Joe Biden, bit a Secret Service agent for the 11th time Monday evening.
The German Shepherd’s most recent incident led to a U.S. Secret Service agent being injured at the White House.
The U.S. Secret Service chief of communications, Anthony Guglielmi, confirmed the occurrence in a statement to CNN, saying, “Yesterday around 8 p.m., a Secret Service Uniformed Division police officer came in contact with a First Family pet and was bitten. The officer was treated by medical personnel on the complex.”
CNN reported that the injured officer spoke with Secret Service Uniformed Division Chief Alfonso M. Dyson Sr. Tuesday and was doing alright.
The biting incidents at the White House are not new for Commander. According to U.S. Secret Service email records obtained by Judicial Watch, the dog has been responsible for similar incidents both in the White House and in Delaware. Notably, one of the incidents in November 2022 required an officer to be hospitalized due to injuries from the dog.
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The Biden family previously announced measures to address the situation. In response to recent inquiries, Elizabeth Alexander, the first lady’s communications director, told CNN, “The First Family continues to work on ways to help Commander handle the often unpredictable nature of the White House grounds.”
The communications director also expressed the Biden family’s gratitude towards the Secret Service and Executive Residence staff for their dedication to safety.
However, concerns about workplace safety at the White House have emerged as a result of the incidents with the Commander. Former U.S. Secret Service agent Jonathan Wackrow weighed in on the situation, highlighting the broader implications.
“This isn’t a Secret Service thing. This is a workplace safety issue,” he said. “There’s uniqueness here where it’s the residence of the president of the United States, but it’s also the workplace for hundreds, thousands of people. And you can’t bring a hazard into the workplace.”
Wackrow emphasized the repeated nature of such incidents, warning that while one incident could be considered an accident, multiple biting incidents indicate a “serious issue.” The former Secret Service agent described the situation as a “significant hazard” for agents on duty.
“I’m sure that the Bidens love the dog,” Wackrow added. “I’m sure that it’s a member of the family like every dog is, but you’re creating a significant hazard to those who support you – support the office of the president.”
This news article was partially created with the assistance of artificial intelligence and edited and fact-checked by a human editor.
