A man attempting to enter the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center (CVC) on Wednesday was stopped and arrested after security officers discovered a machete and multiple knives in his bag.
The incident unfolded just hours before President-elect Donald Trump’s scheduled appearance on Capitol Hill to meet with Senate Republicans, marking a dramatic moment in the otherwise routine proceedings of the day. According to a statement from the U.S. Capitol Police, the man was apprehended around 2 p.m. at the north doors of the CVC during standard security screening.
Officers monitoring the X-ray machine noticed the machete in his bag, prompting an immediate halt to the screening process. A subsequent search of the bag uncovered three additional knives, all of which were secured by police before the suspect was taken into custody. The individual, whose name has not yet been released, was charged with multiple counts of carrying a dangerous weapon.
The Capitol Police confirmed that security screenings at the CVC’s north entrance were briefly suspended while officers conducted an investigation. Operations resumed shortly after, ensuring minimal disruption to public access to the building.
The arrest comes on a day of heightened attention at the Capitol, with members of the