Look Out for Unsubstantiated Claims About Cocaine at the White House

On July 2, 2023, a "suspicious powder" was found inside the White House. Tests later showed the powder was cocaine, according to reputable news publications.

After that news broke, social media posts about the discovery rapidly spread, with various degrees of legitimacy. We found posts on Twitter, Reddit, TikTok, and Facebook making various claims about where the illicit substance was found and to whom it allegedly belonged. For instance, the below-displayed post claimed the cocaine was found in an area often occupied by U.S. President Joe Biden, while other posts asserted that the drug was left behind by his son, Hunter Biden.

The claim that one of the Bidens was responsible for the cocaine was unsubstantiated. Below, we outline the known facts regarding the location of the cocaine's discovery and its possible owner based on reporting by reputable news outlets such as The Associated Press (AP) and The Washington Post. We reached out to the Secret Service — which is running an investigation to determine how, or under what circumstances, the cocaine was left by someone in the White House — and will update this article if they respond.