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Joint Base Andrews evacuated after suspicious package leads to the hospitalizations of multiple people

Could the delivery of an unknown package that hospitalized several people at Joint Base Andrews indicate a security breach?
posted by Akanksha Mishra
Friday 11/7/2025 at 3:01AM EST
  • President of the United States Donald J Trump and First Lady Melania Trump walking with Col Casey D Eaton, 89th Airlift Wing commander and his wife Lisa Eaton, Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, May 10, 2018. Image courtesy Staff Sgt. Kenny Holston / 89th Airlift Wing. (Photo by Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images)
    President of the United States Donald J Trump and First Lady Melania Trump walking with Col Casey D Eaton, 89th Airlift Wing commander and his wife Lisa Eaton, Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, May 10, 2018. Image courtesy Staff Sgt. Kenny Holston / 89th Airlift Wing. (Photo by Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images)

    On Thursday night (November 6), CNN reported a mysterious package delivery at Joint Base Andrews, a military facility located near Prince George's County, Maryland, that has led to multiple hospitalizations.

    A suspicious package was delivered to one of the buildings on Thursday, where an employee opened it to find a mysterious white powder inside.

    As soon as the package was opened, several people present in the room suddenly fell ill and had to be taken away for medical attention immediately. A statement from Joint Base Andrews told CNN that they were transported to the Malcolm Grove Medical Center on base.

    In the wake of the hospitalization, a precautionary measure required the entire building, as well as other connecting buildings in the facility, to be evacuated soon afterwards, with a cordon established around the area. The statement further reads:

    "Joint Base Andrews first responders were dispatched to the scene, determined there were no immediate threats, and have turned the scene over to Office of Special Investigations. An investigation is currently ongoing."

    After the first responders' visit, a team with HAZMAT suits also arrived for an initial field test, but no hazardous materials were detected from the scene. The room has since been sealed off, while investigators continue to assess the package for any potential political propaganda. 

    The mysterious package arrives at Joint Base Andrews just one day after President Trump visited the facility. According to CNN, the military base is a well-known destination for national VIPs, including the president, vice president and cabinet secretaries, who regularly travel there for official business.

    Trump landed at Joint Base Andrews to host Central Asian Leaders at the White House on Thursday

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    Trump's return from his Miami day trip at the Joint Base Andrews on Wednesday came ahead of the president preparing to host leaders of five Central Asian countries in the White House on Thursday (November 6).

    The invitees for the summit included officials from Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan. 

    Trump's intent behind it was to discuss securing the rare earth metals from these regions, over which China has practiced dominance for years. According to the LA Times, China has controlled approximately 90% of global rare earths processing and 70% of rare earth mining to date.

    One of these rare metals includes uranium, which plays a critical role in the production of nuclear power. Central Asia is home to approximately 50% of global uranium production and has been exporting minerals to China and Russia to date. 

    With this summit, Trump aims to change this dynamic and redirect the exports to the US by proposing new trade partnerships.

    TOPICS: Joint Base Andrews