CNN’s Jake Tapper said President Biden’s dog Commander “has to go” following a report showing the German Shepherd attacked Secret Service agents at least 24 times.
The data was revealed in an internal U.S. Secret Service document obtained by CNN, which filed a Freedom of Information Act request. The figure does not include the workplace incidents with the dog among executive residence and White House staff members.
“The recent dog bites have challenged us to adjust our operational tactics when Commander is present – please give lots of room,” an unnamed assistant special agent in charge of USSS’ Presidential Protective Division wrote to their team in a June 2023 email, warning that agents “must be creative to ensure our own personal safety.”
That warning came months before the dog was removed from the White House, with multiple biting incidents taking place in the interim.
CNN has reviewed more than 400 pages of documents, many of which were heavily redacted to protect USSS personnel anonymity and operational details.
In October 2022, an unnamed Secret Service technician described an incident and said they were “worried about the family pets behavior escalating and that … something worse was going to happen to others.” (CNN)
One troubling incident required an agent needing stitches.
An unnamed special agent from the presidential protective division’s counter surveillance unit was providing security coverage in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, the report said. As the agent walked to a backyard security post, the agent heard Commander start to bark, the report said, but did not realize Commander was “loose and off leash.”
“In the background SA [redacted] heard the voice of what believes to be FLOTUS Dr. Jill Biden [redacted] yelling [redacted quote]. Commander ran toward the direction of post [redacted] booth and bit SA [redacted in the left forearm. Causing a severe deep open wound. As result of the attack SA [redacted] started to loose (sic) a significant amount of blood from [redacted] arm,” the report said.
The agent was treated on site by the White House medical unit and received six stitches to his left forearm, the report said, as well as antibiotics for the wound. (CNN)
Another incident involving Commander breaking skin occurred on April 12, 2023, when the dog bit a Secret Service agent's arm resulting in "two pucture marks and the skin was broken with blood present." That employee "filed a notice of traumatic injury and claim for continuation of pay/compensation," according to the report.
In a statement provided to CNN, the first lady's communications director Elizabeth Alexander said the dog is currently living with other family members.
“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. Despite additional dog training, leashing, working with veterinarians, and consulting with animal behaviorists, the White House environment simply proved too much for Commander," she said, with other sources emphasizing how "awful" the Bidens feel about these incidents.
CNN's Jake Tapper says Biden's German Shepherd, Commander, "has to go" after learning of 24 biting incidents involving Secret Service agents. pic.twitter.com/5gLy6oqkvd
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) February 22, 2024