Who works in the West Wing of the White House? Secret Service investigates the discovery of cocaine on premises

On Sunday, July 2, at 8:45 pm local time, a white substance, later identified as cocaine, was discovered by the United State Secret Service (USSS) at the West Wing of the White House, sparking an emergency evacuation of the premises.

It was during a routine sweep that the US Secret Service found the hazmat. Soon, Uniform Division Officers were alerted, alongside the DC Fire Department’s Hazmat Team and Emergency Medical Services. They came to investigate the situation further and also ensured that the grounds were vacated.

During the preliminary investigation, the US Secret Service blocked all the roads leading to the West Wing of the White House, including 17th and 18th Streets, the Ellipse, Lafayette Park, and Pennsylvania Avenue. Interestingly, President Joe Biden and his family were not at the White House around the time of the incident. They were away at the Camp David residence.

The West Wing has the offices of all Level 1 government personnel, such as the President, the Vice President, the Press Secretary, and the White House Chief of Staff.

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The Oval Office is located in the West Wing of the White House

The West Wing of the White House houses the Oval Office, which is the formal working place of the President of the United States and acts as his Executive Office.

Apart from the oval-shaped room, the West Wing is a large, multi-level area of the White House that has the Cabinet Room, the Situation Room, and the Roosevelt Room. The Cabinet Room refers to the meeting room for the government officials and advisors to the President who are all part of the Cabinet.

In contrast, the Situation Room or the John F. Kennedy Conference Room is a 5525-square-foot intelligence management center and conference room situated in the basement of the West Wing. It is run by the National Security Council staff such as the National Security Advisor, the Homeland Security Advisor, and the White House Chief of Staff, among others.

The Roosevelt Room, on the other hand, constitutes a private meeting room, dinner place, the home, and the private workspace of the President.

The West Wing has four floors in total and also contains the offices of the Vice President, the Counsellor to the President, and all other support staff of high-ranking government officials. Interestingly, the West Wing is also accessible to tour groups.

Other notable spaces in the West Wing include the Navy Mess (where food is prepared and served to the West Wing staff), the West Colonnade (the hallway used by the President and his staff to commute from the West Wing to the Executive Residence), South Lawn, Rose Garden, West Wing Lobby (used as a reception room for visitors), and the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room.

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The cocaine was traced at a storage facility in the West Wing

Anthony Guglielmi, a spokesperson of the US Secret Service told the BBC that the white powder was found by Secret Service officers “inside a work area” of the West Wing. He also mentioned that the fire department was quick to evaluate the situation and found the substance to be “non-hazardous.”

He, however, did not confirm or deny the preliminary test results and only said that the item was sent for additional testing and a thorough official investigation was ongoing.

CBS News further reported that an anonymous senior law enforcement officer said that the substance was located in a storage facility (a common area) in a cupboard often used by high-level White House staff and guests to store mobile phones. CBS also confirmed that two USSS officers and a radio dispatch recording from Sunday night proved that the white powder was indeed cocaine, more specifically cocaine hydrochloride.

As per US Drug Enforcement Administration, cocaine is a Schedule II drug under the Controlled Substances Act and has a high potential for abuse.