White House and Donald Trump Jr. condemn explosive devices sent to Obamas, Clintons

Leah Millis/Reuters

White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders on Wednesday condemned attempted violent attacks against former President Barack Obama, former President Bill Clinton, and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

• The White House on Wednesday promptly condemned "attempted violent attacks" against former President Barack Obama, former President Bill Clinton, and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
• The Secret Service on Wednesday said it had intercepted potential explosive devices sent in the mail to the Clintons and Obamas.
• White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders issued a statement describing the attempted bombings against the Democratic figures as "terrorizing acts" and "despicable."
• Donald Trump Jr., the president's son, said "this crap has got to stop" in a tweet.

The White House on Wednesday promptly condemned "attempted violent attacks" against former President Barack Obama, former President Bill Clinton, and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Explosive devices were found in mail sent to the Obamas and Clintons, the Secret Service said Wednesday. There are also conflicting reports that suspicious packages were sent to the White House as well as CNN's headquarters in New York City. CNN evacuated its offices as the NYPD investigates.

White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders issued a statement on these developments within minutes of the reports, describing the attempted bombings as "terrorizing acts" and "despicable."

"We condemn the attempted violent attacks recently made against President Obama, President Clinton, Secretary Clinton, and other public figures," Sanders said. "These terrorizing acts are despicable, and anyone responsible will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law."

She added: "The United States Secret Service and other law enforcement agencies are investigating and will take all appropriate actions to protect anyone threatened by these cowards."

Sanders said in a video interview later Wednesday morning that "certainly it's okay to disagree in politics, but it's never okay to take action against another individual."

Donald Trump Jr., the president's eldest son, echoed these sentiments in a tweet on Wednesday morning.

"As someone whose family has directly been the victim of these mail threats I condemn whoever did this regardless of party or ideology," Trump Jr. said. "This crap has to stop and I hope they end up in jail for a long time."

The explosive devices were reportedly similar to the one found in the mailbox of billionaire George Soros on Monday, two law enforcement officials told The New York Times.

Soros, who founded Open Society Foundations, has championed progressive causes throughout his career and has frequently been the target of right-wing conspiracy theories.