Secret Service praised by Trump after breach

Associated Press

POTOMAC FALLS, Va.

President Donald Trump on Saturday praised the U.S. Secret Service for doing a “fantastic job” apprehending a “troubled person” who climbed a fence and was approaching a south entrance to the White House while Trump was inside the executive mansion.

It was the first known security breach at the White House since Trump took office nearly two months ago.

Washington, D.C., police identified the intruder as Jonathan Tran, 26, of Milpitas, Calif.

When approached by a Secret Service officer on the south grounds about 11:38 p.m. Friday and asked whether he had a pass authorizing him to be in the restricted area, Tran replied, “No, I am a friend of the president. I have an appointment,” the police report said.

Asked how he got there, he said he “jumped the fence.”

The Secret Service said in a statement that the intruder, whom it did not identify, had climbed an outer perimeter fence near the Treasury Department and East Executive Avenue. He was arrested without further incident, the agency said.

Authorities found two cans of Mace on Tran, including one inside his jacket pocket, according to a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court. Tran also was carrying a U.S. passport, an Apple laptop computer, a book written by Trump and a letter he had written to the president, the complaint said.

“Secret Service did a fantastic job last night,” Trump said Saturday from his golf club in Northern Virginia. He described the intruder as a “troubled person” and the situation as “very sad.” Trump was briefed on the matter Friday night, said his spokesman, Sean Spicer.

Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly also was briefed on the incident, the Secret Service said. Kelly was among several Cabinet secretaries and senior White House staff members who attended a working lunch with the president at the Trump National Golf Club.

In the letter found on Tran, he mentioned “Russian hackers” and said he had information of relevance, according to the criminal complaint.