Man arrested after vehicle plows into White House security gate as authorities launch investigation

A man has been arrested after a vehicle plowed into the White House security gate late on Tuesday (October 21) evening.

The Secret Service confirmed that Donald Trump was in the primary governmental home at the time of the incident, which happened at around 10.37pm local time in Washington DC.

The unspecified car hit a security gate at the western entrance to the White House complex, with the driver arrested immediately at the scene.

Immediately after the crash had happened, the Secret Service conducted a search of the car, with both them and Washington’s Metropolitan Police Department deeming it safe and finding nothing suspicious.

A bomb detection robot inspecting the scene (Andrew Leyden/Getty Images)

The Secret Service said in a statement: "At approximately 10:37 p.m., an individual drove a vehicle into the Secret Service vehicle gate located at 17th & E St, NW, in Washington, DC. The individual was arrested & the vehicle was assessed and deemed safe. Our investigation into the cause of this collision is ongoing."

No information has been provided in regards to the driver's identity.

While the White House was not placed on lockdown, the Secret Service confirmed that the road leading up to the gate would be closed until the vehicle in question is towed away by authorities.

It comes after Trump made a surprising claim about Ukraine's chances of winning the war against Russia after an ‘explosive’ meeting Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Donald Trump was in the White House when the vehicle plowed into the security gate (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

During a visit to the White House by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, a reporter asked Trump about the conflict and the chances of Ukraine overcoming Russia and winning the war.

He replied: “I don't think they will. They could still win it, I never said they would win it... War is a very strange thing, a lot of bad things happen.”

This is a massive contrast to what Trump had been saying a few weeks back after the president took to Truth Social to say that he believed Ukraine could win back all of its land.

He said: “After getting to know and fully understand the Ukraine/Russia Military and Economic situation and, after seeing the Economic trouble it is causing Russia, I think Ukraine, with the support of the European Union, is in a position to fight and WIN all of Ukraine back in its original form.

“With time, patience, and the financial support of Europe and, in particular, NATO, the original Borders from where this War started, is very much an option. Why not?"