Donald Trump

Milpitas Man Arrested For Breaching White House Fence Claimed to Be a ‘Friend' of President Trump: Secret Service

A Milpitas man accused of scaling a fence to get onto the White House grounds claimed to be friends with President Donald Trump, a U.S. Secret Service officer told police. 

Jonathan Tran, 26, was arrested Friday in the first known White House security breach since Trump took office in January, according to the Washington D.C. Metropolitan Police Department. 

The incident began at about 11:40 p.m. Friday when a Secret Service officer stationed on the south grounds noticed Tran in a restricted part of the executive mansion, according to police.

The officer approached Tran, and asked if he had a pass to be on White House grounds, according to the police report. "No, I am a friend of the President. I have an appointment," Tran replied.

"I jumped the fence," Tran said when asked by the officer how he got on the grounds, the report states. 

The Secret Service officer verified that Tran did not have outstanding warrants or prior convictions, but also confirmed that the president, who was in the White House at the time, was not expecting him. Tran was taken into custody without incident, according to police.

Surveillance footage showed that Tran climbed a Treasury Building fence, which is next to the White House security fence, the report said.

Accomplishing such a stunt came as a surprise to Michael Broussard, one of Tran's neighbors.

"That's actually crazy to know that somebody would scale the White House fence and be so close to me," he said.

A charging document later revealed that Tran was carrying a letter for Trump in which he claimed to have information about "Russian Hackers," NBC News reported.

He also complained that he had "been called schizophrenic" and his "phone and email communications [had been] read by third parties," the charging document stated.

President Donald Trump said Saturday that the U.S. Secret Service did a "phenomenal job" apprehending a "troubled person." 

No hazardous materials were found during a search of a backpack that Tran carried over the fence, the agency said, but they did discover two cans of mace and his passport, according to NBC News.

The Secret Service also said a search of the north and south White House grounds found "nothing of concern to security operations."

Tran was arraigned in D.C. Superior Court on Saturday, NBC News reported. He faces charges of entering or remaining in restricted grounds with a weapon.

Having deemed him a flight risk, a judge has remanded him to custody through Monday, according to NBC News. Then he must face a magistrate in D.C. District Court.

Tran's alleged breach forced officials to temporarily raise the White House security level to "orange" — among the highest.

Attorney information for Tran was not immediately available. NBC Bay Area attempted to talk to Tran's parents in Milpitas, but they did not answer the door of what is believed to be their home. 

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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