National Guard Troops Finally Learn When They'll Be Able to Leave DC
National Guard troops will remain stationed at the U.S. Capitol until March 22, according to a Pentagon spokesman.
“We’re obviously constantly in touch with the Department of Homeland Security, the Secret Service and D.C. officials about the need about the requirement. And we’re always evaluating it,” Pentagon press secretary John Kirby told Fox News’ Neil Cavuto on Tuesday.
“There’s no incidents to report. Things are safe and secure right now,” he said.
Many lawmakers have called for the troops to be sent home earlier.
“There are still 6,000 National Guard troops in Washington, D.C.,” Republican Rep. Madison Cawthorn of North Carolina said Tuesday on Twitter. “There is no imminent threat. Bring. Them. Home.”
There are still 6,000 National Guard troops in Washington, D.C.
There is no imminent threat.
Bring. Them. Home.
— Madison Cawthorn (@CawthornforNC) February 16, 2021
“Let’s do this sooner. There is no need for this severe of a lock down,” Rep. Ruben Gallego, an Arizona Democrat, tweeted Tuesday.
“Having a quick reaction force near by and actually listening to intelligence will keep us safe.”
Let’s do this sooner. There is no need for this severe of a lock down. Having a quick reaction force near by and actually listening to intelligence will keep us safe. https://t.co/di82l8mYdj
— Ruben Gallego (@RubenGallego) February 16, 2021
The National Guard has been stationed in Washington since the Jan. 6 incursion of the Capitol.
There were 25,000 troops deployed for President Joe Biden’s inauguration, and 7,000 remained at the Capitol during the Senate impeachment hearings over concerns of “civil unrest.”
Five-thousand troops will remain until March 22.
The stay could have been prolonged by recent chatter about potential unrest on March 4 by QAnon online conspiracy supporters, according to Newsweek.
“Supporters of the radical movement, listed as [a] domestic terrorist threat by the FBI, believe that Donald Trump will once again be inaugurated as president next month,” the outlet reported Tuesday.
Kirby refused to comment on any potential threats that might be monitored and maintained that the goal was to “end the mission” for National Guard troops.
“We’re constantly in touch with local and state authorities, the Secret Service, about the threat assessment [and] about the need,” he told Fox News.
“And as soon as we’re convinced, and everybody’s convinced … that they don’t need to be on Capitol Hill then and we’ll send them all [home].”
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