President Donald Trump’s motorcade was rerouted as he departed Florida for Palm Beach International Airport after a “suspicious object” was discovered during security sweeps in advance of his arrival, the White House said.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the object was not described, and that “A further investigation was warranted and the presidential motorcade route was adjusted accordingly,” in a statement Sunday.
The White House did not describe what the object was. When reporters asked Trump about the package during the departure, he said, “I know nothing about it.”
Trump left his Palm Beach, Florida, club Mar-a-Lago at about 6:20 p.m., heading for a drive described as roughly 10 minutes to the airport. Instead of using the usual straight-line route, the motorcade traveled a circular path around the city to reach the airport.
During the drive, police officers on motorcycles formed a moving blockade for the motorcade. At one point, the officers’ vehicles nearly collided with the vans accompanying Trump, according to the report.
At the airport, Air Force One was parked on the opposite side from where it is usually located, and lights outside the plane were turned off, the report said.
Anthony Guglielmi, the spokesman for the U.S. Secret Service, said the secondary route was taken as a precaution and added, “that is standard protocol.”