Former Secretary of State Antony Blinken found himself at the center of an unusual scene on Friday when he appeared to be asked to leave a New York beach that had been closed because of Hurricane Erin.
Photos from Georgica Beach in East Hampton show Blinken, barefoot and wearing sunglasses, sitting in a beach chair alongside a friend. The two looked relaxed as they talked and gazed out at the water. But the calm moment quickly changed when a lifeguard and a patrol vehicle pulled up near the pair. Soon after, Blinken and his companion were seen packing their belongings — shoes, bags, a towel, and chairs — before walking back across the sand and through the parking lot.
The beach was closed for everyone, but in his arrogance, Antony Blinkin ignored the closure.
This is the perfect example of the political class’ rules and laws for its subjects, not them.
IT NEEDS TO END!!!! pic.twitter.com/ICfbGBOIVI
— Booker (@RealBookerScott) August 24, 2025
According to East Hampton Village officials, Georgica Beach and other nearby beaches were closed for several days due to hazardous conditions created by Hurricane Erin. The storm, which moved along the East Coast, brought dangerous rip currents, storm surge waves, and large debris to the shoreline.
“The water was closed until last night as per Suffolk County,” a spokesperson for East Hampton Village’s Main Beach Office explained in an email to Fox News Digital. “The beach was closed to foot traffic as well all Thursday and Friday until around midday. Friday we were able to open each beach to foot traffic after the tide dropped out. All our precautions were to keep patrons and staff as safe as possible.”
The incident comes as coastal towns across the region have been preparing for Hurricane Erin’s impact. New York Governor Kathy Hochul warned residents throughout the week to take the storm seriously and remain alert. “New Yorkers are no strangers to hurricanes — that is why I’m urging those living in areas that may be impacted to stay safe and exercise caution until the hurricane tapers off later this week,” Hochul said in a statement.
This is not the first time Blinken’s personal downtime has drawn attention. In 2021, The Washington Post reported that he was vacationing in the Hamptons just hours before Taliban forces overtook Kabul and regained control of Afghanistan. More recently, in May 2023, he was filmed playing guitar at a Kyiv bar during a diplomatic visit to Ukraine, sparking criticism online as the war with Russia continued.
Joe Biden’s former Secretary of State ordered off beach
Former Secretary of State Antony Blinken was ordered to leave a beach in the Hamptons after violating closures put in place for Hurricane Erin. The 63-year-old was spotted relaxing on a beach chair on Georgica Beach on… pic.twitter.com/cokyxhEePz
— Stock Monkey (@Gamma_Monkey) August 23, 2025
In the case of Hurricane Erin, the situation was less about global crises and more about timing. The photos captured a top U.S. diplomat on a quiet beach that, at least for a few more hours, was officially off-limits.
Blinken left the beach without further incident. But the timing of the storm, the closures, and the photos ensured the moment did not go unnoticed.
With Hurricane Erin’s effects still being felt along the East Coast, coastal communities continue to monitor the weather closely. For now, one of the biggest ripples from East Hampton was not just from the ocean — but from a sighting of the nation’s former top diplomat being asked to pack up and leave.
