President Joe Biden’s dog commander bit people multiple times over a four-month span last year, in both Washington, DC and Delaware, according to a US Secret Service communications show.
According to emails received by conservative group Judicial Watch, Secret Service officials contacted the agency several times between October 2022 and January 2023 with concerns about the 22-month-old German shepherd and his “aggressive behavior.”
The notices obtained via a Freedom of Information Act request have been documented 10 incidents One in particular where an officer was hospitalized after Commander bit his arm and thigh. In another instance, the dog bit an agent so severely that it cut and bruised the agent’s arm.
The White House told CNN on Tuesday that Commander, who moved to the capital in 2021, was working on a new course.
Tasos Katopodis via Getty Images
In addition to seven documented bite cases, there have been other incidents of the dog being walked off-leash on the White House grounds.
According to a Secret Service employee’s email, first lady Jill Biden was once unable to “regain control” of the dog when it charged at an agency employee.
“I believe it’s only a matter of time before an agent/official is attacked or bitten,” the email said.
In a statement to CNN, Jill Biden’s communications director said, “The White House complex is a unique and often stressful environment for family pets, and the First Family is working to improve this situation for everyone.”
She said the dog has been working with Secret Service and Executive Residence personnel “on additional leash protocols and training, as well as establishing designated areas for the commander to walk and exercise.”
Biden’s older dog, Major, was briefly evicted from the White House following several similar incidents after the president took office in early 2021. His oldest dog, Champ, died in June 2021 at the age of 13.
