Biden ‘in close touch’ with Pelosi over safety of lawmakers after speaker warns ‘enemy is within House of Representatives’

President Joe Biden has been “in close contact” with Speaker Nancy Pelosi regarding threats surrounding congressional lawmakers following the deadly pro-Trump attacks on the US Capitol, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said on Friday.

The White House said Mr Biden was discussing the concerns with Ms Pelosi on a “nearly daily basis” after the Speaker suggested part of the security issues surrounding Capitol Hill have been spurred by the conduct and rhetoric of some House Republicans.

"So we want to have a scientific approach to how we protect members," Ms Pelosi said on Thursday at her weekly news conference. "I do believe and I have said this all along we will probably need a supplemental for more security for members when the enemy is within the House of Representatives, a threat that members are concerned about in addition to what is happening outside."

Ms Pelosi has been outspoken in recent weeks about threats against lawmakers after former President Donald Trump’s extremist supporters breached security measures, attacked police officers and broke into the Capitol as Congress convened to certify his defeat in the 2020 elections.

Since then, Democrats have condemned several of their Republican colleagues for attempting to defy security protocols, including bringing firearms onto the House floor.

Asked to clarify what she meant by her comments about an “enemy within the House of Representatives,” the speaker said: “It means that we have members of Congress who want to bring guns on the floor and have threatened violence on other members of Congress."

This a breaking news story and will be updated.