Biden is Having Dog Trouble Again
It appears President Biden's German Shepard, Commander, has been a bit too active in his time at the White House. According to a new report, Commander has bitten seven people in a four-month period.
The White House physician's office was asked to refer a Secret Service officer to the hospital for treatment on Nov. 3, 2022, after the individual was bitten by Commander on the thigh and arm, according to internal Secret Service communications first reported by the New York Post.
On Jan. 20, a security technician was also bitten at Biden's home in Wilmington, Delaware. The technician required treatment after Commander "latched" onto their back.
"These shocking records raise fundamental questions about President Biden and the Secret Service," said Tom Fitton, President of Judicial Watch, a conservative legal group. Fitton added that it was "a special sort of craziness and corruption where a president would allow his dog to repeatedly attack and bite Secret Service and White House personnel. And rather than protect its agents, the Secret Service tried to illegally hide documents about the abuse of its agents and officers by the Biden family."
Secret Service officers shared the same sentiment, according to the emails. One officer warned it was only a matter of time before the dog bites an officer. However, Commander did not act alone. According to the communications, another incident took place in November 2022 while the First Lady was walking Commander in the Kennedy Garden near the East Wing of the White House. Here, the dog bit a Secret Service uniformed officer on the thigh, causing "bruising, tenderness, and pain in the bite area."
Notwithstanding the events shared in the report, Anthony Guglielmi, U.S. Secret Service chief of communications, said the agency takes the safety and well-being of its employees extremely seriously.
"Agency employees are encouraged to report any job-related injuries to their immediate supervisors for appropriate documentation. As such, we are aware of past incidents involving first-family pets, and these instances were treated similarly to comparable workplace injuries, to include with relevant notifications and reporting procedures followed. While special agents and officers neither care for nor handle the first family’s pets, we continuously work with all applicable entities to minimize adverse impacts in an environment that includes pets," Guglielmi said.
As a result of the bites, the first family is implementing extra leashing protocols and training for Commander, and is establishing designated areas for the German Shepard to exercise, Elizabeth Alexander, who serves as communications director for the First Lady, told Fox News.
The string of incidents involving Commander came nine months after Biden's former dog, Major, was ousted from the White House for similar incidents. Major was said to have bitten someone at the White House, leading to a "minor injury," according to former White House press secretary Jen Psaki.
A number of other incidents involving Major were also noted, including a bite that led an employee associated with the National Park Service to require medical attention on the White House South Lawn.
In the end, it is unclear whether Commander has been involved in any other incidents since January 2023 or upon his arrival at the White House. At present, the White House and Secret Service are working to ensure the safety of their personnel, and it looks like Commander is on his best behavior for now.