WASHINGTON — Doug Emhoff, the husband of Vice President Kamala Harris, on Tuesday was abruptly pulled from an event at a Washington, D.C., high school after officials received a report of a bomb threat, authorities said.
The Black History Month event at Dunbar High School, which was attended by reporters and at least three high school staff members, lasted about five minutes. That’s when a U.S. Secret Service agent turned to Emhoff and said, “We have to go.” Agents quickly hustled the second gentleman out of the room. Within a few minutes, students and teachers were also ordered to evacuate.
A spokesperson for the Washington public schools confirmed that the incident was sparked by a bomb threat.
Students were released about 30 minutes before the school day ended.
A White House official said Emhoff is fine but could not say where the second gentleman was taken after the evacuation. His spokesperson did not immediately return a phone call and text message seeking comment.
The incident underscores the potential safety risks faced by top White House officials, especially Harris, who is the first woman and first Black person to become vice president. She is among the top targets of online harassment. It is the first known time a member of the second family had to be evacuated due to a security threat since taking office.
Harris was evacuated from the Democratic National Committee after police found a pipe bomb planted near the building in the hours before the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.
Emhoff was involved in a 2019 incident during the presidential primary when he helped to remove an animal rights protester who jumped onstage during an event and grabbed Harris’ microphone.
