Lincoln had the layout of the building adjusted so he could go for meals without navigating the public hallways. While Lincoln was, to begin with, adamant about the importance of speaking to regular people, it grew excessive and the White House began to restrict visiting hours for the public to a twice weekly slot. This became a significant problem by the time of the Lincoln administration, which saw the building regularly filled with people "on all conceivable errands, for all imaginable purposes." Some would gain access by climbing through windows. Lobbyists for example could wait in the hallways of the building to petition the president. Until the late 19th century, the White House maintained an open door policy with the public having access to the corridors and lobbies of the building. Many of the intruders were "pranksters or harmless people with mental illnesses" however, some have entered with the intention of harming people. Despite security measures (such as a fence), there have been some people who have still managed to gain unauthorized access to the White House. Security is primarily provided by the United States Secret Service. Their group had turned up uninvited and bypassed security to enter a state dinner.Įxtensive measures are used to protect the White House as the official residence ( Executive Residence) and office space ( West Wing) of the president of the United States, and grounds. President Barack Obama greeting the Salahis in the Blue Room of the White House in November 2009.
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