DHS Chief: Don’t ‘Rush to Judgment’ on White House Fence Jump
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Andrew Burt/Getty Images(WASHINGTON) — The head of the Department of Homeland Security is urging the public to “not rush to judgment” on the White House intrusion that took place Friday.
Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson said he encourages “all of us to…not second-guess the judgment of security officers who had only seconds to act,” insisting in a statement issued on Monday that the public should wait “until all the facts are in.”
Johnson noted that the head of the Secret Service, a DHS component, has ordered a review of the events that unfolded Friday, and said he will “carefully evaluate the findings and recommendations of the review” when it’s completed.
Meanwhile, there are already signs of increased security around the White House, including additional barriers outside of the White House gates.
Texan Omar Gonzalez, 42, was allegedly carrying a folding knife in his pocket when he jumped the 9-foot fence, ran about 100 yards across the north lawn of the White House and then made it inside one of the most secure buildings in the world.
Gonzalez has been homeless in the nation’s capital for the past three months after 13 years in the U.S. Army, including a tour in Iraq.
After the breach, Johnson expressed continued confidence in the Secret Service.
“It is important to remember that the U.S. Secret Service remains one of the best, if not the best, protection services in the world,” he said.
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