The Republican National Committee headquarters in Washington, D.C., was placed on lockdown on Wednesday after a suspicious package containing two vials of blood was discovered, authorities reported.
The vials were addressed to former President Donald J. Trump, as confirmed by a law enforcement official speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter.
The package also contained ice packs and a Korean-language Bible, according to Brianna Burch, a spokesperson for the U.S. Capitol Police, who stated that the incident is currently under investigation.
Both the R.N.C. and Mr. Trump’s campaign declined to provide immediate comments on the situation, which led to a significant law enforcement presence just blocks away from the U.S. Capitol.
Authorities responded to a report of a suspicious package at the R.N.C. headquarters on the 300 block of First Street, Southeast, at 7:45 a.m. Eastern time. Hazardous materials teams safely removed the contents of the package, and the lockdown was lifted before 10 a.m.
The exact number of individuals inside the R.N.C.’s headquarters at the time of the incident was not disclosed by authorities.
Television broadcasts showed the area cordoned off by police vehicles and tape.
This was not the first time a concerning discovery was made at the R.N.C.’s office. On January 6, 2021, a pipe bomb was found at the headquarters during the attack on the U.S. Capitol, prompting an evacuation and subsequent destruction of the device by a bomb squad.
On the same day, a suspicious package led to the evacuation of the Democratic National Committee’s headquarters, also located near the Capitol.