Cecilia Vega’s First Day at White House Briefing Room Sparks Unprecedented Live Disruption from Code Red Drill
WASHINGTON, D.C. — At 10:47 AM Eastern Standard Time on Tuesday, February 13, 2025, veteran journalist Cecilia Vega, on her inaugural day as White House Correspondent for ABC News, experienced a highly unusual event. During the daily press briefing, a live Code Red emergency alert was accidentally triggered from the White House Situation Room. Vega, 47, who replaced departing correspondent Mary Bruce, was in the middle of a question regarding domestic energy policy when the blaring sirens and flashing lights interrupted the proceedings. According to White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, the disruption stemmed from a miscommunication during a scheduled domestic security drill. No immediate threat to personnel or the public was identified, and the briefing resumed after a 12-minute pause. The incident, captured on live cable news feeds, has generated over 2 million social media mentions within three hours, with analysts citing Vega’s composure under pressure as the viral moment of the day.