WASHINGTON — Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle is “livid” over the apparent security lapse that allowed an intruder to enter the home of national security adviser Jake Sullivan undetected last month, according to two sources familiar with the matter.
The incident, which occurred in the middle of the night a few weeks ago, is largely being considered a “human failure” within the agency, the sources told NBC News.
There were no signs of forced entry into Sullivan’s home, but even if doors were unlocked or an alarm system wasn’t used, as one source said was the case, the Secret Service is not blaming technology for the incident.
Secret Service is taking the matter “extremely seriously” and evaluating possible consequences for the agents involved in the incident, which one source described plainly as “not acceptable.”
Sullivan had a brief but not physical encounter with the intruder during the incident, one source said, and after the intruder left his home, Sullivan alerted the Secret Service.
One working theory in the Secret Service investigation is that perhaps a person who lives nearby was so intoxicated and confused that they entered the wrong home, the source added, but that possible explanation does not absolve the agents responsible for protecting Sullivan, who has 24-hour security due to his public profile.
The White House has declined to comment.
Sullivan told reporters aboard Air Force One on Wednesday that he has “total faith in the Secret Service,” and declined to comment on the incident. “They do a remarkable job every day as professionals protecting people,” he said.
While the incident occured in late April, it only became public when The Washington Post first reported it on Tuesday.
In a statement on Tuesday, the Secret Service said they’re investigating how an intruder was able to enter Sullivan’s home.
“Any deviation from our protective protocols is unacceptable and if discovered, personnel will be held accountable,” Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said. “Modifications to the protective posture have also been made to ensure additional security layers are in place as we conduct this comprehensive review.”
Politicians and government officials have faced an uptick in threats in recent years.
On Tuesday, Capitol Police Chief Thomas Manger said during a congressional hearing that his force is dealing with an approximately 400% increase in threats against members of Congress over the past six years.
Sullivan has served as national security adviser to President Joe Biden since the beginning of his presidency. He previously worked in the Obama administration and was also a foreign policy adviser to former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton during her 2016 presidential campaign.
Rebecca Shabad contributed.
Source: | This article originally belongs to Nbcnews.com
