JUST IN: Capitol Police Stop Potential Trump Attacker Hours Before Senate Visit
A man attempting to enter the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center (CVC) on Wednesday was stopped and arrested after security officers discovered a machete and multiple knives in his bag. The incident unfolded just hours before President-elect Donald Trump’s scheduled appearance on Capitol Hill to meet with Senate Republicans, marking a dramatic moment in the otherwise routine proceedings of the day. According to a statement from the U.S. Capitol Police, the man was apprehended around 2 p.m. at the north doors of the CVC during standard security screening.
Officers monitoring the X-ray machine noticed the machete in his bag, prompting an immediate halt to the screening process. A subsequent search of the bag uncovered three additional knives, all of which were secured by police before the suspect was taken into custody. The individual, whose name has not yet been released, was charged with multiple counts of carrying a dangerous weapon.
The Capitol Police confirmed that security screenings at the CVC’s north entrance were briefly suspended while officers conducted an investigation. Operations resumed shortly after, ensuring minimal disruption to public access to the building. The arrest comes on a day of heightened attention at the Capitol, with members of the public gathering to pay their respects to former President Jimmy Carter, who is lying in state in the Capitol Rotunda for a second day. In a series of social media posts, the Capitol Police outlined the sequence of events and reassured the public that the situation had been swiftly contained.
“Just after 2:00 p.m., our officers stopped and arrested a man who tried to get a machete into the Capitol Visitor Center (CVC),” police wrote in a statement on X. “During security screening at the CVC’s north doors, our officers spotted a machete in the man’s bag, stopped the x-ray machine, arrested the man, and secured the machete. Three knives were also found in the bag, along with the machete. Security screening was temporarily stopped at the north side of the Capitol Visitor Center while we investigated. The man is being arrested for multiple charges of Carrying a Dangerous Weapon.”
Capitol Police did not provide further details on the man’s motives or whether he posed a specific threat to President-elect Trump or other officials. President-elect Trump’s return to the Capitol later in the day is notable as it marks his first visit since leaving office in 2021. His schedule includes honoring President Carter before heading into a private meeting with Senate Republicans to discuss his upcoming transition to the Oval Office later this month. Trump’s team has characterized the meeting as critical to his legislative agenda in the opening days of his presidency. As investigations continue, Capitol Police have pledged to provide additional details when they become available.
Last month a staffer for Democratic Representative Joe Morelle (D-NY), Michael Hopkins, was arrested on Capitol Hill after Capitol Police found ammunition in his bag during routine security screening at the Cannon House Office Building. Hopkins, 38, was charged with unlawful possession of ammunition, including a high-capacity magazine. The discovery occurred when his bag went through an X-ray scanner, revealing four ammunition magazines and eleven rounds of ammunition. Hopkins reportedly stated that he had forgotten the ammunition was in his bag. No firearms were found in his possession, and heightened security measures were enacted.
