The Mystery Administration is exploring the matter, the White House said. " They're looking at cameras and visitor logs, respectively. The next steps are as follows. Cross-checking," said the source.
Karine Jean-Pierre, a spokesperson for the White House, told reporters: Where this was found is an intensely voyaged region where numerous ... West Wing guests come through."
When asked if anyone had been tested for drugs as part of the investigation, Jean-Pierre stated, In the meantime, we will take any action that is necessary and appropriate, regardless of what the Secret Service says."
In Washington, DC, it is illegal to possess cocaine because it is a "schedule II" drug under the Controlled Substances Act. The West Wing is attached to the executive mansion where President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden live.
It contains the presidential staff's work area, the cabinet room, and the Oval Office. On a regular basis, the West Wing is visited by hundreds of people, including political staff, guests, and journalists.
According to Jean-Pierre, tours of the West Wing were held on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
On Sunday evening, the substance was discovered during a routine Secret Service sweep. On Wednesday, a spokesperson for the Secret Service did not respond to inquiries regarding the matter. The quantity of cocaine found has not been disclosed by the agency. Sunday's brief closure of the White House complex was caused by the discovery. At the time, Biden and his family weren't in the White House.
On Wednesday, reporters yelled at Biden to answer questions about the cocaine. Biden did not respond. Jean-Pierre stated that the president considers it to be "incredibly important" to determine the cause.
Friends and family members can get tours of parts of the West Wing from administration officials. Before going on a tour, anyone who isn't a member of the staff must put their electronics and other belongings in the storage cubicles.
"It was in one of the cubbies," the source said about the cocaine.
After spending the holiday weekend at the presidential retreat in Camp David, Maryland, Biden and his family made their early return to the White House on Tuesday. According to the source, family members who visit the Bidens typically enter and exit through the East Wing.