The Real Reason The Secret Service Wasn't Allowed To Use The Bathroom In Ivanka Trump's House
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. POTUS was banned from social media, while Donald Trump Jr. allegedly became the subject of an investigation, and word leaked that Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner would not let members of the Secret Service relieve themselves while on duty.
An article from the 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. "It's the first time I ever heard of a Secret Service detail having to go to these extremes to find a bathroom," an official told the outlet.
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. (The Secret Service reportedly used Obama's garage until a member "left an unpleasant mess in the Obama bathroom.")
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.
Who ordered the secret bathroom?
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. "It was only after a decision by the USSS was made that their detail sought other accommodations," the spokesperson said. 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.
Get the details about the Secret Service's bathroom
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. "I think it was clear that they just needed a place to take a shower, take a break, use the facilities, have lunch," Kendall told the outlet. "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. "I told her, 'It's fine, if you reduce the rent,'" Moffet shared (per The Washington Post). The lease of the 820-square-foot basement started in September 2017 and will end in September 2021, via the outlet.
What does the Secret Service think?
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.