Trump: ‘We Had 28 Bite Problems’ – Recalls Biden’s German Shepherd as ‘Vicious’
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — President Donald Trump doubled down on his criticism of former President Joe Biden’s German Shepherd, “Major,” during a Florida event on Friday, claiming the dog had “28 bite problems” with Secret Service personnel .
The remarks, nostalgic about the lack of a ‘first pet’ in his own White House, also revived a years-old controversy from the Biden administration .
“They all wanted me to buy a dog when I went to the White House. They said, ‘Sir, you’ll be the first president in 68 years or something that doesn’t have a dog.’ I said, ‘It’s not going to work for me.'”
— President Donald J. Trump“No, they like pictures of like Biden walking his dog all the — but his dog was a vicious dog. Kept biting our Secret Service people. No, we had 28 bite problems. 28. This was a violent dog.”
— President Donald J. Trump
🐕 The History of Major Biden
The dog in question, Major Biden, was a German Shepherd that President Biden, who owned the pet for many years before taking office, brought to the White House in 2021. Major was involved in several biting incidents .
According to CNN, which reported on the “dozens of incidents,” a Secret Service official confirmed to CNN that “some of the interactions were characterized as bites, but others were categorized as ‘nipping’ or ‘attempted aggression'” . The Biden family eventually sent Major to live privately with family friends in Delaware after the incidents became a persistent controversy.
Trump’s figure of “28 bite problems” may be a rounding up of the number of incidents.
🐩 Trump the Dogless President
Trump was indeed the first president since William McKinley (who served from 1897-1901) not to own a pet while in office . Past pets have included:
- Ronald Reagan had Lucky, a golden retriever .
- George H. W. Bush had Millie, an English Springer Spaniel .
- Bill Clinton had Buddy, a chocolate lab .
- George W. Bush had Miss Beazley, a Scottish terrier .
- Barack Obama had Bo and Sunny, Portuguese water dogs .
- Joe Biden had Major, German Shepherd, and Commander (a younger German Shepherd who also had biting incidents).
Trump explained his own reasoning: “It’s not going to work for me. I’m too busy.” He has also said he doesn’t want a dog because it would be “a great photo op of the president walking a dog … my people would just use it for … something else” .
📉 The Current First Pets
Trump and First Lady Melania Trump do not currently have a dog at the White House. The only “pets” on the premises are a small herd of goats that were installed to manage weeds on the lawn, a “green maintenance” initiative that Trump mentioned in 2025 .
📋 Key Takeaways
| Aspect | Summary |
|---|---|
| Trump’s Comments | “We had 28 bite problems. This was a violent dog” — referring to Biden’s German Shepherd “Major” |
| Historical Context | Major Biden was sent to Delaware after a series of biting incidents |
| Secret Service Dog Bites | CNN confirmed incidents; characterized by agency as “bites” or “nipping” |
| Trump’s White House (lack of) Pet | Trump didn’t have a dog; first president since 1901 not to own a pet |
| Current First Pets | The Trumps have no dog, but have goats for lawn maintenance |
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