Man demanding to speak to Trump drives onto White House sidewalk and is taken for 'mental health evaluation'

From the Newshound archive · first published 20 September 2026.

Secret Service officers rushed to Lafayette Square in Washington DC on Saturday after a man drove his vehicle onto the sidewalk at 16th and H streets Northwest, demanding to speak directly to President Donald Trump. Trump was not at the White House at the time, spending the day at Camp David in Maryland. The driver was detained, handcuffed and photographed as officers searched his vehicle and temporarily closed surrounding roads.

No dangerous materials were found in the car; the man was taken to a nearby hospital for a mental health evaluation.

The Secret Service said roads were shut 'out of an abundance of caution' and praised the swift response of officers and Metropolitan Police.

It is at least the third White House security breach in under a year, following a driver who tried to smash the security gate in October 2025 and another who ploughed through a barricade in March.