Multiple people fell ill but no one was hospitalized on Thursday after an individual at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland opened a “suspicious package” containing negative sentiments toward President Trump.
“There were no specific threats towards the President or other government officials,” a Joint Base Andrews spokesperson said to The Hill in a statement.
Joint Base Andrews told CNN that individuals who had fallen ill were taken to the base’s Malcolm Grove Medical Center. In an updated statement released today, the base wrote that individuals had been “evaluated and treated by JBA medical personnel, determined to be in stable condition, and released yesterday.”
“As a precaution, the building and connecting building were evacuated, and a cordon was established around the area,” the updated statement reads. “Joint Base Andrews first responders were dispatched to the scene, determined there were no immediate threats, and normal operations have resumed.”
“Bioenvironmental Engineering, Emergency Management, Fire Department and Explosive Ordnance Disposal. assessed the area and conducted testing for multiple contaminants,” a spokesperson told The Hill in response to a request for comment. “No powder or hazardous materials were found and there is no active threat.”
Two sources initially told CNN that the opened package contained political propaganda and an unknown white powder. Sources also said a HAZMAT team examined the package’s contents but departed by Thursday evening. Authorities’ efforts to identify the substance remain ongoing.
Joint Base Andrews wrote in its updated statement that the investigation had been turned over to the Air Force Office of Special Investigation and remains ongoing.
“To protect the integrity of the investigation, we cannot provide additional information at this time,” a spokesperson added.
Trump frequently travels through the base and was there Wednesday. Members of the administration, including Vice President Vance and Cabinet members, also travel through the base regularly.
According to CNN, the package was opened in the Air National Guard Readiness Center, which ensures Air National Guard units’ combat readiness and coordination with National Guard Bureau units. The base closed the room at the time, and it is unclear if it has since been reopened.
In August, two individuals were arrested after attempting to enter Sheppard Air Force Base in Texas after allegedly making a bomb threat.
Updated at 5:10 p.m. EST
