Does a viral story claiming "listening devices" were discovered in the Oval Office and that the Resolute Desk had been removed for "scanning" cite real sources? No, that's not true: Besides an "anonymous senior official," the story mentioned a "White House spokesperson Emily Harrow," who does not appear on the White House website. It also quotes a "Dr. Michael Kessler", supposedly a "professor of cybersecurity" at Georgetown University, but in reality the only faculty member there by that name is an adjunct law professor specializing in "moral and political theory, and the nexus of law, politics, and religion".
Lead Stories was unable to definitively establish where the viral text came from, but it has been copy-pasted on multiple social platforms over the past few days.
The oldest version we found so far was a post (archived here) published on February 22, 2025, on Gettr, which read:
Listening Devices Discovered in Oval Office: President's Desk Removed for Scanning
Washington, D.C. - February 21, 2025In a startling development that has raised eyebrows across the political spectrum, sources within the White House have confirmed that the Oval Office, including the iconic Resolute Desk used by the President of the United States, was recently subjected to an intensive security sweep following suspicions of covert surveillance.
The sweep reportedly uncovered evidence of sophisticated listening devices, prompting immediate action to remove and scan the desk outside the office premises.
According to an anonymous senior official familiar with the matter, the discovery came after routine electronic countermeasures detected anomalies in the Oval Office's secure environment. "The signals were faint but consistent--enough to warrant a full investigation," the official said. "We couldn't take any chances with the integrity of the President's workspace." Specialized teams equipped with cutting-edge radiofrequency detection tools were deployed, and their findings allegedly pointed to the presence of concealed audio surveillance devices.The Resolute Desk, a historic piece of furniture gifted to the United States by Queen Victoria in 1880, was promptly removed from the Oval Office and transported to an undisclosed secure facility for a thorough examination. Experts in counterintelligence and forensic technology were tasked with dismantling and scanning the desk to locate and neutralize any embedded devices. Early reports suggest that at least one miniature transmitter--small enough to evade casual inspection--may have been embedded within the woodwork, though official confirmation remains pending.
White House spokesperson Emily Harrow declined to provide specific details but acknowledged that "enhanced security protocols" had been enacted. "The administration takes all potential threats to national security seriously," Harrow said during a press briefing earlier today. "We are cooperating fully with relevant agencies to ensure the sanctity of the President's office is maintained."
Speculation about the origin of the devices has already begun to swirl. Some security analysts point to the possibility of foreign interference, noting that the Oval Office has long been a prime target for espionage due to its symbolic and operational significance. "This wouldn't be the first time a foreign power attempted to infiltrate the highest levels of government," said Dr. Michael Kessler, a former NSA operative and current professor of cybersecurity at Georgetown University. "Modern listening devices are incredibly advanced--some are no larger than a grain of rice and can transmit encrypted audio over vast distances."
Others suggest the breach could stem from domestic sources, potentially linked to political rivalries or unauthorized surveillance by rogue elements within the U.S. intelligence community. The timing of the discovery--amid heightened partisan tensions--has only fueled such theories, though no concrete evidence has surfaced to support any single narrative.
A second version of the text (archived here) had a slightly different last sentence:
Others suggest the breach could stem from domestic sources, potentially linked to political rivalries or unauthorized surveillance by rogue elements within the U.S. intelligence community. The timing of the discovery--amid heightened partisan tensions--has only fueled interests.
A shortened version of the text was also briefly posted to X by Jack Lombardi II (archived here), but he later retracted the claim in a follow-up post (archived here).
Lead Stories used the search function of the White House website to look for "Emily Harrow," who was mentioned as "White House spokesperson" in the story and no results were returned (archived here). A Google search for the same name limited to the domain name whitehouse.gov likewise yielded no results (archived here).
There is a "Michael Kessler" at Georgetown University, but he is not a "current professor of cybersecurity". His bio (archived here) says he is "Associate Professor of the Practice of Government and Center Executive Director" and "Adjunct Professor of Law." The text of his bio describes his work and field of study, which is not "cybersecurity" at all:
Michael Kessler is Executive Director of the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs at Georgetown University, Associate Professor of the Practice of Moral and Political Theory in the Department Government, an affiliate faculty member of the Department of Theology, and an Adjunct Professor of Law, Georgetown University Law Center. He works in moral and political theory, and the nexus of law, politics, and religion.
On February 20, 2025, President Donald Trump announced (archived here) that the Resolute Desk had been temporarily replaced so it could be "lightly refinished," but he did not mention any security issues.
Lead Stories has reached out to the White House press office on Sunday. We will update this story when a reply is received.
