Politics
Biden’s biting dog strikes again - Attacks 11th agent
By Jake Beardslee · September 27, 2023
In brief…
- President Biden's dog Commander bit a Secret Service agent, the 11th documented attack.
- Biden's previos pet dog, Major, was rehomed in 2021 following similar behavior.
- Critics say Commander presents a workplace safety hazard and needs to be disciplined.
- The White House has not commented on implementing further training following the latest attack.
President Joe Biden’s 2-year-old German shepherd, Commander, bit a Secret Service agent at the White House Monday evening.
This marks the 11th documented time that Commander has attacked Secret Service personnel since arriving at the White House in 2021, according to internal records obtained by CNN.
The latest victim, a Uniformed Division police officer, was bitten around 8 p.m. on Monday, according to Anthony Guglielmi, chief of communications for the Secret Service. The agent received medical treatment on-site and has reportedly recovered. He has spoken with Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle about the incident.
Commander’s aggressive behavior is, unfortunately, nothing new. Records show that between October 2022 and January 2023, he attacked agents on 10 different occasions, sending at least one to the hospital with lacerations. Several agents reported being bitten without provocation, having to grab nearby objects to fend off the dog.
Commander’s predecessor, Major, was rehomed in 2021 after numerous biting incidents of his own. At the time, the White House said the stressful environment contributed to the dog’s behavior, promising additional training and protocols. With more than a dozen attacks between the two dogs, however, critics say more action is needed.
“This isn’t a Secret Service thing. This is a workplace safety issue,” former agent Jonathan Wackrow told CNN, calling Commander a “significant hazard.”
While presidents’ pets are considered family, Wackrow notes the White House is also a workplace for the many agents assigned to protect the President and his family.
The White House has not commented on this latest incident. Whether new training and measures have been implemented since Commander’s last string of attacks earlier this year remains unclear.