Presidential Emergency Operations Center

Presidential Emergency Operations Center
	After addressing the nation on the evening of September 11, President George W. Bush meets with the National Security Council in the Presidential Emergency Operations Center
	Wikimedia \| © OpenStreetMap
Building	The White House's East Wing
Location	Washington, D.C.
Country	United States
Coordinates	38°53′51″N 77°02′15″W / 38.897600°N 77.03739°WCoordinates: 38°53′51″N 77°02′15″W / 38.897600°N 77.03739°W

The Presidential Emergency Operations Center (PEOC, PEE-ock) is a bunker-like structure underneath the East Wing of the White House. It serves as a secure shelter and communications center for the President of the United States and others in case of an emergency.

History[]

Vice President Dick Cheney, First Lady Laura Bush and Lynne Cheney in the Presidential Emergency Operations Center following the September 11 attacks.

The first White House bunker was constructed during World War II to protect President Franklin D. Roosevelt in the event of an aerial attack on Washington. The modern PEOC space has modern communications equipment including televisions and phones to coordinate with outside government entities. During a breach of White House security, including violations of the Washington, D.C. Air Defense Identification Zone (P-56 airspace), the President and other protectees are relocated to the executive briefing room, next to the PEOC. Day to day, the PEOC is manned around the clock by specialized picked joint-service military officers and non-commissioned officers.^[1]

September 11, 2001[]

During the September 11 attacks, a number of key personnel were evacuated from their offices in the White House to the PEOC. These included Vice President Dick Cheney, First Lady Laura Bush, Lynne Cheney, Condoleezza Rice, Mary Matalin, "Scooter" Libby, Joshua Bolten, Karen Hughes, Stephen Hadley, David Addington, Secret Service agents, U.S. Army major Mike Fenzel serving on a White House Fellowship, and other staff including Norman Mineta. President George W. Bush was in Florida at the time of the attacks.^[2]

May 29, 2020[]

President Donald Trump relocated to the PEOC during the night of May 29, 2020, at the beginning of protests following the killing by police of George Floyd.^[3]^[4]

References[]

^ Darling, Robert J. (July 29, 2010). 24 Hours Inside the President's Bunker: 9-11-01: the White House. iUniverse. p. 50. ISBN 978-1450244237.
^ Clarke, Richard A. (2004). Against All Enemies. New York: Free Press. p. 4,5, 18. ISBN 0-7432-6024-4.
^ Peter Baker; Maggie Haberman (May 31, 2020). "As Protests and Violence Spill Over, Trump Shrinks Back". New York Times. Retrieved May 31, 2020.
^ Walker, Tim (June 1, 2020). "First Thing: with America ablaze, Trump retreated to the bunker". The Guardian. Retrieved June 1, 2020.

External links[]

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[1] Darling, Robert J. (July 29, 2010). 24 Hours Inside the President's Bunker: 9-11-01: the White House. iUniverse. p. 50. ISBN 978-1450244237.

[clarke18-2] Clarke, Richard A. (2004). Against All Enemies. New York: Free Press. p. 4,5, 18. ISBN 0-7432-6024-4.

[3] Peter Baker; Maggie Haberman (May 31, 2020). "As Protests and Violence Spill Over, Trump Shrinks Back". New York Times. Retrieved May 31, 2020.

[4] Walker, Tim (June 1, 2020). "First Thing: with America ablaze, Trump retreated to the bunker". The Guardian. Retrieved June 1, 2020.

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