January 1, White House on High Alert Following Phony 911 Call

The White House became the latest target of a bogus 911 call on Monday morning when someone falsely claimed the historic building was on fire. DC Fire and EMS spokesman Noah Gray told The Post the tip came in at 7:03 a.m.

Crews were rolling one minute later “and in coordination with the Secret Service, it was determined there was no fire emergency.”

The firefighters “returned to service at 7:16 a.m.” Gray said, indicating the scare was over quickly.

President Joe Biden was at Camp David in Maryland when the incident occurred. The White House declined to comment and referred questions to the Secret Service, which did not immediately issue a statement.

Politicians from both parties have been affected in recent weeks by so-called “swatting” incidents, in which phony calls are made to dispatch an often heavily armed response team to terrify the target.

Republicans who have been swatted include Georgia Rep. Majorie Taylor Greene, whose home was raided by authorities on Christmas Day following a suicide hotline tip, New York Rep. Brandon Williams, and Florida Sen. Rick Scott.

Prominent Democrats who have been targeted include Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, left-wing billionaire George Soros, and Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, who gained national attention by removing former President Donald Trump from the state’s 2024 ballot last month. Other high-profile critics of Biden and Trump also have been targeted.

George Washington University law professor Jonathan Turley, who frequently comments on corruption allegations against the Biden family, had a phony shooting reported at his home, and computer repairman John Paul Mac Issac, who distributed the contents of first son Hunter Biden’s abandoned laptop, said he also was targeted.

Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron, who is overseeing the civil fraud trial against Trump, had a fake bomb threat called to his address last week, and DC federal Judge Tanya Chutkan, who is overseeing Trump’s criminal trial for trying to reverse his 2020 loss, had a fake shooting reported at her home.

Officials have not said who they suspect is behind the false reports. In 2016 and 2017, about 2,000 menacing calls including bomb threats were received by Jewish institutions including community centers, giving the perception of growing antisemitism, which many critics blamed on Trump.

An Israeli American teen, himself Jewish, was convicted in 2018 of placing those calls, saying, “I did it out of boredom. It was like a game,” and claiming he earned $240,000 in bitcoin in the process.

Why It Matters (op-ed)

The recent spate of “swatting” incidents targeting politicians and public figures from both parties is a clear example of the dangerous, divisive climate perpetuated by the left. Even the White House isn’t immune to this juvenile and potentially deadly prank.

While President Biden hides away at Camp David, the American people are left to wonder if there’s any end in sight to this chaos. These incidents are likely fueled by the left’s relentless attacks on conservatives, pushing unstable individuals to act out in dangerous ways.

It is crucial that we hold those responsible accountable, and put an end to this destructive political environment before it escalates further.

As our loyal readers, we encourage you to share your thoughts and opinions on this issue. Let your voice be heard and join the discussion below.

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