WASHINGTON (AP) – Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has formally approved an extension of the National Guard’s deployment to the Capitol for another two months as potential threats of violence persist, the Pentagon said Tuesday.
According to a statement by the department, at the request of the Capitol Police, nearly 2,300 security forces will continue to provide security in Washington until May 23. Officials have been struggling for the past few days to determine if and how to comply with the request as the original March 12 deadline loomed for them to leave Washington.
There are currently about 5,100 sentry troops in Washington, and they were scheduled to leave this weekend. It was unclear whether any of these troops will have to stay an extra day or two while new troops arrive and are trained and settled. The Pentagon said defense officials will work with Capitol Police to gradually reduce the number of guards needed in the US. city as time goes by.
Decision to keep Guards in town underscores security concerns in the Capitol, two months after rioters broke into the building in an attack that killed five people. Law enforcement has remained in a heightened security position in response to intelligence pointing to potential threats to the Capitol from militias.
The request to extend the deployment met with resistance last week as some governors expressed their unwillingness or flatly refused to keep their troops in the city longer. There now seem to be plenty of states willing to provide Garde troops for the mission, defense officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations.
Earlier Tuesday, Pentagon chief spokesman John Kirby said the decision to maintain a Guard presence would be based on concerns about local law enforcement and the needs of the Capitol Police.
“It’s not just about a threat assessment, it’s about assisting and supporting capabilities that the Capitol Police may not have right now and that may need to look for improvement,” Kirby said, adding that the extension request was largely based on the use the Guard to make it right. gaps in the capabilities of the Capitol Police.
Army leaders had also initially questioned whether the Capitol Police had exhausted all other options to meet the need, as other federal law enforcement agencies are asking to provide security. But officials said military leaders felt it was important to find ways to work out the details.
The threat was linked to the far-right conspiracy theory promoted by QAnon supporters that former President Donald Trump would return to power on March 4, the original day of the presidential inauguration. That day passed without a hitch, but police have said there are still threats to buildings and personnel.
The Guard’s deployment to the Capitol is disturbing. Early on, security guards were briefly forced to take rest breaks and meals in a nearby cold garage, sparking outrage within Biden’s government. Officials quickly found new spaces in conference buildings for breaks on duty.
In addition, members of the guard complained about bad food, and some said they got sick. On Monday, Kirby said about 50 Guard troops had been treated for gastrointestinal problems, of the 26,000 sent to Washington. He said six sought outpatient medical treatment, while the rest were treated in aid stations set up for the Capitol Hill mission.
Kirby said General Daniel Hokanson, head of the National Guard Bureau, visits the troops several times a week and eats with them to make sure they are getting good food.
Acting Chief of the Capitol Police, Yogananda Pittman, requested that the guards remain on, which began a series of talks with Pentagon and National Guard leaders.
US military officials have said the cost of deploying about 26,000 guards to the Capitol from shortly after the January 6 riot to next Friday is nearly $ 500 million. No cost estimate for the next two months has been released. The costs include housing, transportation, salaries, benefits and other necessities.