The White House is in lockdown after a man claimed to have bomb inside the bag he was carrying.
Roads around the area have been closed, the Secret Service tweeted, and a security operation is underway after the man was detained by officers just after 10.30am local time (1.30am AEDT).
Fox News reports the bag is now being searched by authorities.
“USSS is investigating a suspicious package,” the Secret Service tweeted.
“Security perimeter established and members of the public and media are being moved to a safe distance.”
https://twitter.com/SecretService/status/846734327794819073
https://twitter.com/SecretService/status/846738231077064704
This is the latest in a string of security incidents at the White House and other government buildings over the past few weeks.
On Sunday morning a woman was arrested for scaling a fence at the Treasury building after she did the same at the White House the week before.