A number of individuals at a military installation near Washington, D.C., were taken to the hospital following the opening of a ‘suspicious package’ containing white powder and political material. This incident occurred around 1 p.m. on Thursday at a facility within Joint Base Andrews, specifically at the Air National Guard Readiness Center. The building was evacuated promptly, and several individuals received medical attention at the Malcolm Grove Medical Center located on the base, according to CNN. Officials stated, “Joint Base Andrews first responders were dispatched to the scene, determined there were no immediate threats and have turned the scene over to [the] Office of Special Investigations.” The investigation is currently underway.

Authorities are reportedly examining the political materials that accompanied the mysterious powder as part of their inquiry. The room where the package was opened remains sealed off. The cause of the illnesses among military personnel remains uncertain, as an initial field test by a HAZMAT team did not identify any hazardous substances. It is also not yet determined if the package was intended for a specific individual or department at the base, from which the president, vice president, and Congress members often depart for official travel.

This incident follows a similar event a month earlier, when a federal building in New York City was evacuated after employees discovered an envelope with white powder. This building houses the city’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement field office as well as the Department of Homeland Security. However, it remains unclear if the envelope was specifically targeted at these offices. National tensions have been mounting, especially as the country faced its longest government shutdown, which led to federal employees like air traffic controllers working without pay and left millions without access to food stamps.

Trump has since admitted the shutdown contributed to Tuesday night’s election losses for Republicans. ‘I think if you read the pollsters, the shutdown was a big factor – negative for the Republicans,’ the president told GOP senators at a breakfast on Wednesday, after Democrats proved victorious throughout the country. Progressive Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani won the New York City mayor’s race with 50.4 percent of the vote – compared to runner up and former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo’s 41.6 percent. Mamdani will be the first Muslim and South Asian mayor of America’s largest city. Further south, Democrat Abigail Spanberger won her Virginia race against Republican Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears.

And in New Jersey, Democrat Mikie Sherrill (pictured) convincingly beat Trump-backed Republican Jack Ciattarelli to become the next governor. ‘Last night it was, you know, not expected to be a victory,’ Trump admitted on Wednesday morning. ‘I don’t think it was good for Republicans – I’m not sure it was good for anybody.’ ‘But we had an interesting evening and we learned a lot,’ he said. 

The president later reprimanded his fellow Republicans for not touting his agenda enough during the 2025 campaign season to win more elections on Tuesday night. And he warned the results could begin a slippery slope of plunging the United States into communist rule if more progressives are voted into office. ‘These people are crazy,’ Trump said during a business forum in Florida on Wednesday. ‘And Mamdani – whatever the hell his name is in New York – he thinks it’s wonderful to have men playing in women’s sports.’ 

‘Now let’s see how a communist does in New York – we’re going to see how that works out. And we’ll help them… we want New York to be successful. We’ll help them – a little bit, maybe,’ he added before warning that Mamdani will plunge the U.S. into a communist state. Still, he assured business leaders that ‘as long as I’m in the White House the United States is not going communist in any way shape or form.’ ‘We’re going to stop it – stop this nonsense,’ he insisted.