President Joe Biden’s dog, Commander, was involved in at least 24 biting incidents against US Secret Service agents, new documents reveal. The German Shepherd caused chaos for the presidential bodyguards, with one senior agent noting that the bites caused the Secret Service to change tactics and advise agents to “give lots of room.” The documents, revealed through Freedom of Information requests, show that the biting incidents took place between October 2022 and July 2023, and the warnings about Commander’s behavior were given months before he was eventually removed from the White House. The documents are heavily redacted to protect the identity of Secret Service agents and the secrecy of their security tactics.
The incidents involving Commander include multiple agents being bitten on various parts of their bodies, including the wrist, forearm, elbow, waist, chest, thigh, and shoulder. The documents also revealed that at least one serious biting incident resulted in a Secret Service agent requiring medical treatment for a severe bite. In another incident, an agent was bitten on the hand and required six stitches, leading to a “severe deep open wound” and “a significant amount of blood loss.” The documents also showed that one biting incident led to the suspension of White House tours for 20 minutes due to blood on the floor.
The biting incidents associated with Commander led to significant concern among the Secret Service, with the documents revealing measures taken to protect agents, including giving lots of room, providing painkillers, and even giving agents a small care package as a present, which included a muzzle, dog biscuits, and pepper spray. An unnamed senior agent also advised agents to “be creative to ensure our own personal safety” when Commander is present, and to “adjust our operational tactics” to maintain safety.