Trump's Motorcade Press Van Drivers 'Fired' After Gun Found In Driver's Bag

© press

A massive security scare with the motorcade for President Donald Trump has prompted the replacement of every press van driver after a gun was discovered in the bag of one of the drivers. 

The gun was found outside Mar-a-Lago as the secret service searched the driver. The Presidential motorcade was rolling from Mar-a-Lago at 8:55 AM.

A driver of one of the press pool vans was detained during the security screening for what he claimed was a personal firearm found in his baggage.

The driver then said he forgot to leave his personal firearm inside his personal vehicle before entering the van.

The GatewayPundit reports: Screening took place off club grounds in parking lot across the street and roughly an hour before press vans joined up with presidential motorcade.

Driver was not allowed onto club property so a White House staffer drove the van instead. White House staff said all drivers were replaced after the incident. When press loaded back into vans, driver was being questioned by an officer.

When on club grounds, another van grazed a Secret Service vehicle in the parking lot. Damage to vehicles appeared to be very minor and no one was hurt.

The driver reportedly told the Secret Service he ‘forgot’ the gun was in the bag.

On this #PresidentsDay @POTUS is now at the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida.

“Driver of one of the press pool vans was detained during security screening for what he said was a personal firearm found in his baggage. Driver said he forgot to leave the firearm inside his personal vehicle before entering van,” according to pool reporter @justinfabian.

— Steve Herman (@W7VOA) February 19, 2018

Trump starting off President’s Day in West Palm Beach at his golf course pic.twitter.com/c4ngIGEFT5

— Shannon Pettypiece (@spettypi) February 19, 2018

“Driver of one of the press pool vans was detained during security screening for what he said was a personal firearm found in his baggage. Driver said he forgot to leave the firearm inside his personal vehicle before entering van,” according to pool reporter @justinfabian.

Update: The Washington Times’ Dave Boyer reports the press van drives are traditionally volunteers: “Typically such drivers are volunteers, not government employees or members of the media.”

UPDATE 2: Scret Service statement via pool reporter Jordan Fabian:

Secret Service statement regarding events in Palm Beach, Florida February 19, 2018. The Secret Service can confirm that an individual serving as a staff contracted driver was briefly detained by U.S. Secret Service personnel and other law enforcement officials today. The individual was found to be in lawful possession of a prohibited item (firearm) outside the secure area at a Secret Service security screening checkpoint. The incident was investigated by the Secret Service and our partners at the Palm Beach County Sheriffs Office (PBSO) and resolved. At no time was any Secret Service protectee in danger or impacted. All Secret Service security measures worked.”