Two years after a bag of cocaine was discovered in the White House, newly released documents reveal that the substance was destroyed within 24 hours of the investigation’s closure—despite lacking a formal record of the destruction date. The Drug Enforcement Administration confirmed the cocaine was transferred to D.C. police for incineration shortly after multiple agencies, including the FBI and D.C. Fire Department, tested it. Records indicate the cocaine was returned to custody on July 12, 2023, and handed over for destruction two days later. However, the absence of precise documentation and the swift closure of the investigation—just 11 days after the drug’s discovery—have prompted renewed scrutiny. D.C. police have since deferred all media inquiries to the FBI.

Adding to public concern, FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino recently announced the case’s reopening, along with separate investigations into the Dobbs Supreme Court leak and the January 6 DNC pipe bomb incident. Although the cocaine is no longer available for reexamination, DNA samples were preserved but ultimately deemed too limited to provide actionable leads. Surveillance footage from the West Wing captured individuals entering the area where the cocaine was found, but those individuals were never interviewed by the Secret Service, which deferred to the FBI’s conclusion. Critics argue the original investigation lacked transparency and rigor, calling for greater oversight into both the destruction of evidence and the agencies’ failure to pursue basic follow-up steps like questioning potential witnesses.