Suspicious package found at White House, 1 detained

A suspicious package near the White House grounds has put the building on lockdown, reports say.

Secret Service has detained a man with a package outside the White House, an official said. According to reports, the package was found near the White House and the north lawn has been closed. Roads around the White House have also been closed. The US Secret Service in a tweet said it was investigating the incident. The US Secret Service said: "Secret Service investigating suspicious package near White House grounds.

Road closures in effect." Roads around the building have also been closed, according to NBC reporter Peter Alexander. Some members of the White House Press Corps appear to have been locked inside the press room as the Secret Service investigate.

The Secret Service later said it had established a security perimeter and that members of the public and the media were being moved to a safe distance.

It was also reported that snipers could now be observed roaming the property and the North Lawn has been cleared.

The lockdown was instigated just hours before the morning press briefing with Sean Spicer. There is currently no word on Trump's whereabouts but he was expected to sign an executive order that will suspend, rescind or flag for review more than a half-dozen measures introduced by the Obama administration to combat climate change.