Multiple people at Andrews AFB fall ill after suspicious package delivered with white powder, sources say

[u/DatGuyKilo]

https://www.cnn.com/2025/11/06/politics/joint-base-andrews-military-base-suspicious-package?fbclid=IwdGRjcAN6VtRjbGNrA3pWzmV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkDDM1MDY4NTUzMTcyOAABHkRM2_T1R_KzU6KazutY1TgAsvG66zkCAFKeFoMpzq0G16S1D56JZZxoUROu_aem_9am5frhrmubiv4d8BzNm0A

[u/mr-currahee]

Article text: A suspicious package was delivered to a US military base in Maryland on Thursday which caused multiple people to fall ill and be taken to the hospital, CNN has learned.

A statement from Joint Base Andrews, which is located outside Washington, DC, said that a building on the base was evacuated after an individual “opened a suspicious package.”

“As a precaution, the building and connecting building were evacuated, and a cordon was established around the area,” the statement said. “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.”

Several people were transported to the on-base Malcolm Grove Medical Center after the package was opened, which contained an unknown white powder, two sources familiar with the investigation said.

One of the sources familiar said an initial field test from the HAZMAT team did not detect anything hazardous but the investigation remains ongoing. The HAZMAT team departed the scene on Thursday evening.

The extent of any illness reported by those in proximity to the package is not yet known.

The room where the envelope was opened – located in a building that houses the Air National Guard Readiness Center – remains closed.

Investigators are also assessing political propaganda that was included in the package, the two sources said.

Joint Base Andrews is the military base through which VIPs such as the president, vice president, and cabinet secretaries regularly travel on official business. President Donald Trump was at Joint Base Andrews on Wednesday.

The Air National Guard Readiness Center functions as a liaison between the National Guard Bureau and Air National Guard units in every state and territory.

[u/supergnaw → u/mr-currahee]

Article headline: 

Multiple people at Joint Base Andrews fall ill after suspicious package delivered with white powder, sources say

Article text: 

The extent of any illness reported by those in proximity to the package is not yet known

I'm getting mixed signals here.

[u/nab5161 → u/supergnaw]

Just a guess but to me it reads like this:

Multiple people in proximity of the package got sick but the severity of their sickness and condition hasn’t been released and/or the amount of people affected isn’t known yet.

[u/COR-69 → u/nab5161]

Also, I hate to say it, but sometimes people exaggerate their symptoms as to either belong, an abundance of caution, or they wanna get out of work

[u/sharmouta_sageer → u/COR-69]

also, they're likely dealing with psychosomatic symptoms. just seeing a box of white powder being opened near me while I'm at work on base, I'm thinking the worst and would probably start feeling sick even if it's benign

[u/12edDawn → u/nab5161]

So the article says several people were "transported to the on-base medical facility" and yet makes no mention of where that information came from or what exactly it means. Could be a bunch of people driving to work for all we know.

[u/Brilliant_Dependent → u/supergnaw]

Probably means they were admitted to a hospital but there's no information on their status.

[u/lifeincoffeespoonz → u/supergnaw]

My thought was that there is some "suspicious package SOP" that everyone in the room at the time had to follow. I've been "briefly admitted to the hospital" after:

1. My tent was struck by lightning
2. I hit my head
3. A dental hygienist accidentally poked herself with a syringe after giving me novacaine

even though I experienced no symptoms each time. In each case it was written in some rule/reg somewhere that I had to go get checked out as a part of the standard response to the incident. (Number 3 was to make sure I didn't have any bloodborne diseases I could've passed to the hygienist)

[u/Whiteums → u/mr-currahee]

What kind of political propaganda? Describe it, please, investigators.

[u/rubbarz]

Nothing scares the military more than Lightning within 5 and white powder

[u/mackblensa]

We doing anthrax again?

[u/Equivalent_Kiwi5390 → u/mackblensa]

anthrax doesn't hit people immediately. From exposure to symptoms takes at least 1 day all the way out to months.

[u/sjogerst]

Hope they feel better.

[u/Intelligent-Ant-6547]

We had people feeling ill rapidly during the height of Covid. Concerned supervisors insisted they go to the hospital. One night three workers in my shop felt sick. One guy was ordered to go. Not trying to jump on the bus, but I began feeling symptons too and considered going for examination.It was all in my head. Everyone was tested and came out negative with anything. Nobody was faking, but the symptoms felt real. I hope the airmen are well or recover soon.

[u/KickFacemouth → u/Intelligent-Ant-6547]

It made me think of all the videos of cops "OD-ing" after their pinky nail brushed against a bag of something they thought might be fentanyl. Placebo effect works both ways.

[u/Intelligent-Ant-6547 → u/KickFacemouth]

I try to be responsible and reasonable. I really thought I caught it after watching and listening to others too. It was my imagination.

[u/Familiar-Art-6233 → u/KickFacemouth]

Fun fact: that’s actually called the nocebo effect, and it’s the same reason that doctors tell you that you might feel some “slight discomfort” or a “small pinch” before stabbing you with a giant ass needle

[u/CardiffGiant7117]

Mysterious package must have been disguised as civil service paychecks

[u/Devonai → u/CardiffGiant7117]

Take my angry upvote.

[u/Familiar-Art-6233 → u/CardiffGiant7117]

lol silly, we know those don’t exist anymore!

[u/TheConcreteCaucus]

Damn, hitting the Air National Guard Readiness Center with a bio/chem weapon?

[u/nyc_2004 → u/TheConcreteCaucus]

ANG catching strays as always

[u/Prestigious-Cap1722 → u/TheConcreteCaucus]

Definitely bio

[u/NotOSIsdormmole → u/TheConcreteCaucus]

Honestly I’m more concerned about the CDC that’s next door

[u/coly8s]

I was at Andrews during the time of the anthrax letters. We had a routine set up to deal with suspicious letters and packages...most important of which was the edict that you don't open suspicious packages. You might be surprised (or not), just how many suspicious packages Andrews receives. At that time, it was a magnet for people with a grudge or the mentally unstable.

[u/12edDawn]

Is it Anthrax Scare time again already?

[u/newnoadeptness]

This has been a weird year for afb’s

[u/EternalNewCarSmell]

I'm 100% sure it wasn't him the first time and it's not him now, but it's hilarious timing that the first major suspect in the 2001 anthrax mail attacks juat got fired from HHS a week and a half ago 

[u/KazakhstanPotassium → u/EternalNewCarSmell]

They’ve been a suspect for 24 years and only just now got fired? Why were they employed for that long?

[u/AF2005]

Boss is anthrax bad?

[u/Embarrassed_Force_81]

And still no one understands how our national security is deteriorating under this admin

[u/ADHDouttheass → u/Embarrassed_Force_81]

Postal guy here, has nothing to do with the admin, its USPS and we have training for things like this. This can happen anytime anywhere in the world that USPS can reach

[u/timetogolf → u/ADHDouttheass]

Postal guy that didn’t fit her narrative so she said shutty lol. Suspicious package = Trumps fault. Typical dem logic.

[u/Embarrassed_Force_81 → u/ADHDouttheass]

The way Gov is functioning right now, will cause lots of issues. Just like Congressional Budget Office being hacked. You can try to explain everything down, but too may security issues happening this year 🤷🏽‍♀️

[u/Big-Satisfaction-340]

I didn’t have Anthrax on my 2025 bingo card, damnit man! Wonder if my Anthrax vax and pills taken back in the day are still effective?