Street outside White House evacuated after 'suspicious package' found

Pennsylvania Avenue was later reopened

The White House (Reuters)

The iconic Pennsylvania Avenue was evacuated by security officials following the discovery of a "suspicious package" near the White House.

The item, believed to be a black bag, was found near the north fence, according to CBS News.

Members of the White House Press corps were reportedly moved from the North Lawn, and nearby tourists were also cleared from the area by officers.

"I was coming up to Pennsylvania Avenue, when I saw three to four members of the Secret Service keeping people from coming onto the street," Giles Gibson, a British journalist based in Washington, told The Independent.

"There weren't any sirens or anything, it was fairly calm."

A CNN journalist later tweeted the package had been removed by the Secret Service and the street was reopened.

Donald Trump is not at his Washington DC residence but in his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.

Last month, the Secret Service admitted it took over 15 minutes for an intruder to be captured by officers.

Despite a massive security presence at the property, Jonathan Tran, 26, was able to jump several fences and even knock on a door.

Two officers were later sacked over the incident.