Newly released documents have revealed that President Joe Biden’s dog, Commander, bit US Secret Service agents on at least 24 occasions, causing chaos for the presidential bodyguards. The records, obtained through Freedom of Information requests and posted online, show that the German Shepherd had been involved in biting incidents between October 2022 and July 2023. The incidents included bites on various parts of the body, including the wrist, forearm, elbow, waist, chest, thigh, and shoulder of the Secret Service agents, prompting the need for adjustments in operational tactics when the dog was present.
One such incident in June resulted in a “deep bite” on the forearm of an agent, requiring stitches. The bite caused such a significant amount of blood loss that tours of the East Wing of the White House had to be suspended for 20 minutes. Another agent was bitten in the hand in July, requiring six stitches for a “severe deep open wound” that led to a significant blood loss. This alarming pattern of biting led to concerns about the safety of the Secret Service agents, prompting senior officials to advise agents to “be creative to ensure our own personal safety” and to “give lots of room” when Commander is present.
The extent of the biting incidents led to a warning months before Commander was finally removed from the White House. The documents, heavily redacted to protect the identity of agents and secrecy of their security tactics, do not include all biting incidents related to Commander, as they only cover the Secret Service and not others working in the White House or staff at Camp David in Maryland. The troubling revelations have raised questions about the safety protocols and procedures in place for presidential pets, especially those with aggressive behavior.
