What in the world is going on inside the White House?
Records indicate that President Biden witnessed multiple instances where his German shepherd, Commander, attacked Secret Service members. The frequency of these attacks led the agents to wish each other a “safe shift,” and one workplace safety expert suggested the dog be muzzled.
The White House revealed that Commander, along with the previous first dog Major, who was rehomed in 2021 for similar behavior, had been given away in February after over two years of aggressive incidents. Records suggest the attacks involving the two dogs could exceed three dozen.
In one incident, President Biden allegedly doubted a Secret Service agent’s account of being attacked by Major during his first year in office. However, the president was reportedly present for at least three of Commander’s attacks, as documented in files obtained by Judicial Watch through the Freedom of Information Act.
A notable incident on September 12, 2023, involved Commander biting an agent twice, tearing their suit while Biden was walking him in the Kennedy Garden. The agent described in the report how Commander ran at them and bit their arm through the jacket. Despite attempts to control the dog, Commander bit the agent a second time, resulting in three holes in the suit, though no skin was broken.
Photographs included in the report showed the damage to the agent’s clothing, for which they sought reimbursement. Frustration over handling Commander’s behavior grew within the agency. On September 25, 2023, a sergeant mentioned an officer needing hospital care after another attack and wished their colleague a “safe shift.” Two days later, an official from the Safety, Health & Environmental Division urgently suggested muzzling the dog.
Biden’s presence was documented in previous attacks as well. On October 2, 2022, Commander bit an agent’s forearm as Biden approached the West Wing entrance. Similarly, on December 11, 2022, Biden unleashed Commander in the Kennedy Garden, resulting in another biting incident that left an agent with cuts and bruises.
The most severe attacks did not list Biden as present, including a November 3, 2022, incident where Commander’s bite sent an officer to a DC hospital. Other severe attacks included a July 29, 2023, incident where Commander inflicted a severe wound on an agent at the president’s Rehoboth Beach home, requiring stitches, and a June 15, 2023, attack where Commander’s bite necessitated stopping East Wing tours due to blood on the floors.
Despite these incidents, the White House initially downplayed the severity of Commander’s behavior. Neither the White House nor the Secret Service has commented on the latest documents.