Three US military personnel have been reportedly reassigned from their posts at the White House following allegations that they had improper conduct with women during Donald Trump’s trip to Asia earlier this month.
The Washington Post reported late on Tuesday that the incident involving the service members, who were not named, was under investigation. As a result, they had been removed from their positions at the White House Communications Agency, a military unit that provides secure communications channels to the president, vice-president, Secret Service and other administration officials.
Citing officials familiar with the matter, the report stated that the three individuals allegedly broke curfew during Trump’s travel this month. While the specifics of their conduct was not yet known, the service members could lose their security clearances and face other disciplinary measures if found guilty.
Mark Wright, a spokesman for the Pentagon, confirmed an inquiry into the service members’ conduct when reached by the Guardian.
“We are aware of the incident and it is currently under investigation,” Wright said.
Service members are required to register their contacts with foreigners while accompanying the president, vice-president and other senior officials on international trips.
In August, four members of the US military detail assigned to Vice-President Mike Pence were removed from their own positions at the White House for bringing unregistered women back to their hotel in Panama. That incident was discovered when Pence’s staff saw security camera footage of the members bringing the women into the secure area. Pence had not yet arrived in Panama at the time.
Ten Secret Service agents were fired in 2012 after being accused of taking prostitutes to their hotel rooms while working in advance of a trip by Barack Obama to Colombia.