On the heels of the Capitol building riots and the beginning of the end of Donald Trump's
presidency, the Trump family encountered a deluge of bad publicity.
The President was banned from social media, while Donald Trump Jr. allegedly became the
subject of an investigation, and word leaked that Ivanka and her husband Jared Kushner
would not let members of the Secret Service….
Um… do their duty.
An article from The Washington Post reported that the Secret Service was prohibited from
using any of the bathrooms in Ivanka and Jared's home in D.C. while they were stationed there.
This quandary led the agents to seek creative alternatives when they felt the urge to go.
An official told the outlet,
"It's the first time I ever heard of a Secret Service detail having to go to these extremes
to find a bathroom."
According to the Washington Post, Secret Service agents resorted to desperate measures, which
included attempting to have a port-a-potty set up outside Ivanka's home and inquiring
if the facilities at the homes of former President Barack Obama and Vice President Mike Pence
were available.
Afterwards, the Secret Service ended up renting a nearby apartment in the Kalorama neighborhood
for $3,000 per month — just to have bathroom access.
But was this costly alternative suggested by Ivanka and Jared?
There is a disagreement as to who made this pricey decision.
As noted in the The Washington Post piece, the choice to rent an apartment for bathroom
access cost over $100,000 in taxpayer money over the years.
A White House spokesperson vehemently denied to The Hill that Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner
forbade Secret Service agents from using their bathroom.
"This is just another false narrative ... Ivanka and Jared made clear that their home would
always be open to the incredible men and women on their detail."
However, The Washington Post explained that it's not "unusual" for "arrangements that
allow for some distance between Secret Service agents and those they guard."
According to the spokesperson's statement, the Secret Service actually rented out the
$3,000 a month apartment on their own accord.
The spokesperson said,
"It was only after a decision by the USSS was made that their detail sought other accommodations."
Ivanka and Jared previously made headlines when they moved into their home in 2017, as
the Secret Service's presence caused tension between them and their Kalorama neighbors.
After they were reportedly barred from using Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump's bathrooms,
the Secret Service set to work exploring all their options in the nearby area.
Luckily, this included a home across the street from Javanka, which featured a spacious basement
unit.
According to The Washington Post, the space is owned by Kay Kendall, chairwoman of the
D.C.
Commission on the Arts and Humanities.
Kendall told the outlet,
"I think it was clear that they just needed a place to take a shower, take a break, use
the facilities, have lunch.
[...] I'm happy to be able to have helped them."
The chairwoman even tried to make life a little easier for the Secret Service and came up
with the idea of "breaking that space off."
And when she asked the house's tenant, former Connecticut congressman Anthony "Toby" Moffet
Jr. for his thoughts on the matter, he seemed okay with it — for a price.
Moffet shared,
"I told her, 'It's fine, if you reduce the rent.'"
The lease of the 820-square-foot basement started in September 2017 and will end in
September 2021, via The Washington Post.
Though Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner dispute claims they instituted a ban on their six
bathrooms, it looks like we won't know for sure, at least for now.
The White House maintains that it was the Secret Service's personal decision to stay
out of the couple's home, and the Secret Service have thus far decided to keep quiet on the
matter.
A spokeswoman stated to The Washington Post that the agency,
"Does not discuss the means, methods, or resources utilized to carry out our protective mission."
However, in their quest to find a place to relieve themselves, perhaps the Secret Service
agents should have checked the White House, as The New York Times reports President Trump
enjoys an "odd affinity for showing off bathrooms" to guests.
Well, here's hoping that President-elect Joe Biden's Secret Service team will have plenty
of bathrooms at their disposal.
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