BOMB THREAT at the White House puts Washington on high alert

A DRIVER has been detained after approaching the White House and claiming to have a bomb in their vehicle, according to two US officials.
Sources have told CNN that a person has been arrested and the vehicle is being checked, although there is no confirmation that there was any device inside the car.

Several streets around the White House have been closed in what remains an ongoing situation.

Arizona resident Dylan Miles, 19, who is visiting the capital, told Express.co.uk: "There was an influx of sirens and cop cars down my street.

"I can hear a few sirens in the distance and there are a few circulating cop cars around my block."
On the other sides of the White House--15th and F likely near where the driver attempted to get onto the White House grounds.
President Trump is not at risk of the alleged bomb as he has been spending the weekend with his wife Melania and her parents in his West Palm Beach resort, Mar-a-Lago.

According to the Mail, he is expected to eat with the CEO of Marvel, Isaac Perlmutter and will also spend time at his Trump International Golf Club.

In order to keep the President safe, the sheriffs department pays more than £45,000 ($60,000) in overtime each day Trump is in Florida, CNN reports.

The Secret Service released a statement which reads: “On March 18,



2017 at approximately 03:05am GMT (11:05 pm local time), an individual drove a vehicle up to a Secret Service checkpoint located at 15th Street and E Street NW.

“Upon contact with the individual, US Secret Service Uniform Division Officers detained the individual and declared is vehicle suspicious.
“In accordance with proper protocols, Secret Service personnel increased their posture of readiness.

“Due to the fact that this is an on-going criminal investigation, the Secret Service will not provide any further details at this time.”

Local media have reported the car is running and is in the same spot it was when the incident arose three hours ago.

It is the second scare at the White House on Saturday after a person earlier jumped over a bike rack in a buffer zone in front of the White House.

In the first incident, the unidentified person was not able to make it over the fence into the grounds, White House spokesman Sean Spicer said on Twitter.
Two Secret Service agents reportedly tackled the individual in that incident, which occurred at the start of a buffer zone between the main White House fence and the sidewalks.

The Secret Service had been criticised after a man who scaled the White House fence last week was on the property's grounds for 16 minutes before being detained.