Just before 10 a.m. on Monday, November 9, 2026, a silver sedan left the street and ended up on the sidewalk along the north side of Lafayette Park, right at 16th and H Streets NW. Smoke poured out of the car. The driver fought with Secret Service Police and National Guard troops as they pulled him out. Around the same time, another man scaled a security barricade near the northwest corner of the park and ran. Both were in custody fast. The White House went on lockdown while Trump was home. Streets closed. Tourists got turned around. The lockdown lifted roughly an hour later.
FOX 5 DC reported witnesses hearing a popping sound before the smoke started. Eyewitness Iris Mitchell told them a guy walking with a tour group of about 20 people suddenly took off running and scaled the fence. Officers ordered him to freeze and took him down. 7News noted the Secret Service called the driver “combative with law enforcement” but said he was arrested quickly. Metropolitan Police Department Explosive Ordnance Disposal swept the car as a precaution and cleared it. No explosives.
Reuters confirmed President Trump was at the residence during the incidents. The White House press pool said the lockdown lifted around 11 a.m. NBC4 Washington added that the sedan hit a historical marker or informational sign. Video showed the driver clashing with officers after getting out. A source told NBC the driver faces charges of assault with a dangerous weapon (the vehicle) and assault on a police officer. The man who jumped the barricade faces unlawful entry. Names have not been released. Officials have not confirmed whether the two incidents were connected. Both remain under investigation.
This comes one week after another perimeter incident. DHS arrested a Venezuelan national, Ronny Yordrix Guanipa Chrinos, after he was found in a stolen car near the White House with guns and ammunition. He reportedly told officers that voices in his head told him to come to Washington to kill President Trump. 7News and other outlets noted that arrest happened on Constitution Avenue.
NY Post described the layout of the intersection: traffic is forced through a single cobblestone lane on 16th Street before turning, which limits how much speed a vehicle can build. The car never got close to the actual White House gates. National Guard and Secret Service responded immediately. Roads around Lafayette Park stayed closed while the scene was cleared.
For anyone paying attention to the perimeter, these are the kinds of moments that show why layers matter—vehicle barriers, quick response from uniformed personnel, and bomb squads on standby even when nothing is found. The driver fought. The jumper ran. Both got stopped before anything escalated further. Motives and any possible link are still open questions. Secret Service and local partners continue the investigation.
Check the linked reports for video and photos of the smoking sedan, the response, and the closed streets.