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Ciara O'Rourke
By Ciara O'Rourke October 29, 2024

No named suspects in White House cocaine case, despite social media post’s claim

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  • This claim is unfounded. The U.S. Secret Service closed its investigation without a suspect citing a lack of evidence.

After U.S. Secret Service officers discovered cocaine at the White House on July 2, 2023, they investigated its source but ultimately closed the case two weeks later, citing a lack of evidence. 

Nevertheless, the internet offered an array of suspects. 

Social media posts falsely named a TikTok influencer and President Joe Biden and his son, Hunter Biden. Now, an Instagram post blames Vice President Kamala Harris, the 2024 Democratic presidential nominee. 

"The cocaine found in the White House was Kamala’s," an Oct. 23 post said alongside a video showing Harris speaking on CNN. 

The post was flagged as part of Meta’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our partnership with Meta, which owns Facebook, Instagram and Threads.)

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We asked the Secret Service about the claim but didn’t hear back. 

But just as with the other accusations against the TikTok influencer and the Bidens, this one is unfounded. There’s no credible news reporting or other evidence, such as statements from the Secret Service, to corroborate that the cocaine belonged to Harris. 

A bag of cocaine was found in a storage area where visitors touring the White House must leave their cellphones, according to the Secret Service and news reports

An FBI crime lab analysis found no fingerprints or DNA on the bag, and surveillance footage didn’t identify a suspect, The Associated Press reported.

We rate claims Harris is responsible for the cocaine False.

 

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No named suspects in White House cocaine case, despite social media post’s claim

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