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Capitol Police ask National Guard to stay at the Capitol for 2 more months

national guard US Capitol
Members of the National Guard wear protective masks on duty outside of the U.S. Capitol on March 4, 2021 in Washington, DC.

Sarah Silbiger/Getty Images

  • The Capitol Police asked the National Guard to stay at the Capitol for two more months.
  • The AP reported that the Pentagon is reviewing the proposal.
  • The Capitol complex is on high alert Thursday due to potential violence.
  • Visit the Business section of Insider for more stories.

The Capitol Police asked the National Guard to prolong their stay at the Capitol for two more months, according to an Associated Press report on Thursday.

National Guard members have been deployed at the Capitol complex for additional security purposes since the deadly insurrection on January 6. Roughly 25,000 members were stationed in the nation’s capital for President Joe Biden’s inauguration on January 20. Currently, around 5,000 members remain at the Capitol.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin previously said the troops are expected to leave the Capitol on March 12. 

The Pentagon is reviewing the proposal from the Capitol Police, according to the AP. The Capitol Police press office did not immediately respond to Insider’s request for comment.

The request for extended security comes as the Capitol complex is on high alert Thursday because of threats of potential violence in the city.

The Capitol Police said on Wednesday that it “obtained intelligence that shows a possible plot to breach the Capitol by an identified militia group on Thursday.”

“We have already made significant security upgrades to include establishing a physical structure and increasing manpower to ensure the protection of Congress, the public and our police officers,” the Capitol Police said.

Authorities have been informed that some followers of the far-right QAnon conspiracy theory believe that former President Donald Trump will be reinstated as president on Thursday, March 4 – the original date that presidents were sworn into office. The 20th Amendment, adopted in 1933, shortened the “lame duck” period between the outgoing president and incoming one to January 20. 

The conspiracy theory is rooted in the false belief that Trump won the 2020 presidential election. Federal and state election officials have all determined that no widespread voter fraud occurred in the 2020 race.

Believers in the QAnon conspiracy were among the Trump supporters who had stormed the Capitol on January 6. The violence left five people, including a Capitol Police officer, dead.

The House wrapped up its business earlier than expected this week due to the possible violence on Thursday.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told reporters on Thursday that security decisions are not up to her, but that the troops should stay at the Capitol “as long as they are needed.”

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DC National Guard commander says it took more than 3 hours for Trump’s Pentagon to tell him to send in troops to respond to the Capitol riot

National Guard troops assemble outside of the U.S. Capitol on January 16, 2021 in Washington, DC
National Guard troops assemble outside of the U.S. Capitol on January 16, 2021 in Washington, DC

Photo by Eric Thayer/Getty Images

  • The DC National Guard commander says that the Pentagon dragged its feet responding to the Capitol riot.
  • He said he could have had roughly 150 troops at the Capitol in 20 minutes if he had gotten approval.
  • He said he did not receive approval to deploy troops to the Capitol until almost 3 hours after an initial request.
  • Visit the Business section of Insider for more stories.

The commander of the DC National Guard said Wednesday that it took military leaders in former President Donald Trump’s Pentagon three hours from the time Capitol Police called for backup to tell him to send in troops to respond to the Jan. 6 assault on the US Capitol by a pro-Trump mob.

Maj. Gen. William Walker, the commanding general of the DC National Guard, told senators at a congressional hearing Wednesday that shortly after receiving a call for support, he was ready to send roughly 150 Guard troops to the Capitol. He said they could have been there in about 20 minutes, but he needed approval from Pentagon leadership.

At 1:49 pm on Jan. 6, “I received a frantic call from then Chief of US Capitol Police Steven Sund, where he informed me that the security perimeter at the Capitol had been breached by hostile rioters,” he said.

In his testimony, Walker recalled that “Sund, his voice cracking with emotion, indicated that there was a dire emergency on Capitol Hill and requested the immediate assistance of as many Guardsmen as I could muster.”

capitol siege trump supporters
US Capitol siege in Washington DC on January 6, 2021.

Samuel Corum/Getty Images

Walker said that he immediately relayed the request for National Guard support to senior Army leadership and quickly readied available forces.

He did not get approval to deploy Guard troops from Army leadership until 5:08 pm, hours after the violent mob had breached the Capitol. He said that once he finally received approval, he was able to get troops to the Capitol in 18 minutes.

The commanding general said that he had troops “ready to go shortly after the phone call” at 1:49 pm, but while he was ready to respond, he had to wait for approval.

Asked about the potential impact of those Guard forces had they been deployed sooner, Walker said they “could have made a difference,” adding that they “could have extended the perimeter and helped push back the crowd.”

The Pentagon’s timeline of events on Jan. 6 states that although acting Secretary of Defense Chris Miller approved the full activation of the DC National Guard at 3:04 pm, the decision to authorize already available DC Guard troops to move in to support Capitol Police was not made until 4:32 pm.

That timeline shows that troops already available to respond did not depart the National Guard Armory to support Capitol Police until after 5 pm.

Capitol seige invasion trump mob congress
Rioters clash with police while entering the Capitol building through the front doors.

Lev Radin/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images

A Department of Defense official who testified before Congress on Wednesday was unable to explain why it took over half an hour for someone to notify the DC Guard commander.

The defense official, Robert G. Salesses, a senior official performing the duties of the assistant secretary for homeland defense and global security, acknowledged that the communications breakdown was a “problem.”

Acting Defense Secretary Miller, a last-minute Trump administration appointee, told Vanity Fair in January that allegations that the Pentagon dragged its feet responding to the Capitol riot were “complete horse—t.”

“I know for an absolute fact that historians are going to look…at the actions that we did on that day and go, ‘Those people had their game together,'” he said.

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3 US soldiers killed after a Black Hawk helicopter crashes in New York

UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter
A UH-60 helicopter.

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  • Three US soldiers were killed after an Army National Guard helicopter crashed in Mendon, New York, during a routine training mission in the evening, according to the state’s National Guard.
  • The incident is under investigation.
  • Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories.

Three US soldiers were killed after an Army National Guard helicopter crashed in Mendon, New York, during a routine training mission in the evening, according to the state’s National Guard.

A UH-60 Black Hawk medical evacuation helicopter based at the Army Aviation Support Facility at Rochester International Airport was said to have crashed, the New York Division of Military and Naval Affairs said in a statement.

The incident is under investigation.

The UH-60, which has been used by the US military for over 40 years, plays numerous roles, including air-assault and medical evacuation missions. Its crew ordinarily consists of at least a pilot, co-pilot, and a crew chief.

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The National Guard is doing background checks on its own soldiers to shore up security during the inauguration

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Members of the National Guard walk through the Rotunda of the US Capitol in Washington, DC, January 13, 2021, ahead of an expected House vote impeaching US President Donald Trump.

Getty Images

  • The National Guard revealed it would be doing additional vetting of guardsmen serving as security during President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration.
  • The group made the move following the January 6 insurrection at the Capitol Building in which several members of law enforcement, and at least one National Guardsmen, were charged with participating in the insurrection.
  • A spokesperson for the Guard said guardsmen are being told, “if they see or hear something that is not appropriate, they should report it to their chain of command.”
  • Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories.

The National Guard is running additional background checks on its guardsmen ahead of President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration on Wednesday, in an attempt to weed out potential extremists. 

The move comes following the January 6 insurrection at the Capitol Building in which a corporal in the Virginia National Guard, Jacob Fracker, was one of several members of law enforcement arrested in connection with the riots.

National Guard spokesperson Major Matt Murphy, USAF, told Insider the reserve branch was working with the Secret Service and the FBI to determine “which service members supporting the national special security event for the Inauguration require additional background screening.”

Read more: National Guard asks people to please stop trying to give it donations, after photos of National Guardsmen sleeping on the floor of the Capitol spread on social media

Murphy said the Guard is also conducting additional training “that if they see or hear something that is not appropriate, they should report it to their chain of command.”

Fracker, a National Guard reservist, and his Rocky Mount Police Department co-worker Thomas Robertson were both charged with federal offenses after they took a selfie at the riots, and posted it on social media. While neither man was on-duty at the time of the insurrection, both have been placed on administrative leave.  

The FBI continues to review footage from the insurrection to identify additional participants with law enforcement and military ties.

Read more: A corporal in the Virginia National Guard was arrested in connection with the assault on the Capitol last week by a mob of Trump supporters.

While the Secret Service is overseeing the security logistics for the inauguration, the Guard, along with local law enforcement and military groups, will be taking part in providing the actual muscle for the event.

In previous years, inauguration ceremonies have been threatened by foreign terrorist groups and sympathizers, but this year, said Murphy, the focus is on continuing to identify people who participated in or were sympathetic to the attack at the capitol.

“Any type of activity that involves violence, civil disobedience, or a breach of the peace may be punishable under the Uniform Code of Military Justice or under state or federal law,” he said.

Gen. Daniel R. Hokanson, chief of the National Guard Bureau, told the AP that “If there’s any indication that any of our soldiers or airmen are expressing things that are extremist views, it’s either handed over to law enforcement or dealt with the chain of command immediately.”

Expanded Coverage Module: capitol-siege-module

 

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There will be more US troops in DC for Biden’s inauguration than in Iraq and Afghanistan combined, a stark reminder of the danger of homegrown extremism

National Guard
The National Guard is ramping up its presence in Washington, DC, ahead of President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration following the Capitol siege on January 6.

Kent Nishimura/Getty Images

  • In the wake of the Capitol siege on January 6, security is being ramped up in the nation’s capital. 
  • There will be up to 25,000 National Guard troops in Washington, DC, for President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration next week.
  • The US military footprint in DC for Biden’s inauguration will be greater than the number of troops in Afghanistan and Iraq combined. 
  • The increased troop presence in DC is a stark reminder of the rising threat of domestic terrorism, and the fact that it outweighs the dangers of foreign extremism to the US. 
  • Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories.

The US military will have a larger footprint in the nation’s capital by this weekend than the total number of troops in Afghanistan and Iraq combined. 

There will be up to 25,000 National Guard troops in Washington, DC, for President-elect Joe Biden’s January 20 inauguration. Comparatively, as of January 15 there were roughly 2,500 US troops in Afghanistan and Iraq respectively (about 5,000 total).

For context, there are roughly 54,000 US military personnel in Japan – the largest number of American troops in any foreign country. 

There are major concerns about security for inauguration following the pro-Trump Capitol siege on January 6, which led to five deaths and sent shockwaves through the nation.

The fact there will be more troops in DC than the two countries that have in many ways been the primary battlegrounds of the US government’s global war on terror is a stark reminder that homegrown extremism poses a greater threat to the US than foreign terrorism.

FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump delivers remarks to U.S. troops in an unannounced visit to Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan, November 28, 2019. REUTERS/Tom Brenner/File Photo
President Donald Trump makes an unannounced visit to U.S. troops at Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan

Reuters

In the post-9/11 world, the US government has overwhelmingly treated terrorism abroad as the greatest threat to the homeland, but the country is seemingly shifting in a new direction. 

In October, the Department of Homeland Security released a report warning that violent white supremacy would remain the “most persistent and lethal threat in the homeland.”

“Foreign terrorist organizations will continue to call for Homeland attacks but probably will remain constrained in their ability to direct such plots over the next year,” the report added.

Law enforcement in the US has increasingly taken this tone in recent years, particularly in the wake of the deadly neo-Nazi rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, in August 2017. 

“A majority of the domestic terrorism cases that we’ve investigated are motivated by some version of what you might call white supremacy, but it includes other things as well,” FBI Director Christopher A. Wray said to Congress in July 2019.

Similarly, Wray in September 2020 told Congress that “racially motivated violent extremism,” primarily from white supremacists, accounted for the biggest chunk of domestic terror threats.  

And when it comes to jihadism, the threat has also been disproportionately domestic in nature in the years since the 9/11 attacks. As the New America think tank puts it: “Far from being foreign infiltrators, the large majority of jihadist terrorists in the United States have been American citizens or legal residents.”

The events of January 6, which Biden as well as many congressional lawmakers and experts have described as domestic terrorism, could mark an inflection point in terms of how the US approaches extremism.

A mostly white, pro-Trump mob filled with members or sympathizers of far-right extremist groups stormed the US Capitol with apparent intentions of doing harm to lawmakers and even Vice President Mike Pence. It represented a direct assault on American democracy and an unprecedented event in US history.

Congressional lawmakers are now calling for the US to treat domestic terrorism as an existential threat to the country and its political system. 

“The post 9/11 era is over. The single greatest national security threat right now is our internal division. The threat of domestic terrorism. The polarization that threatens our democracy. If we don’t reconnect our two Americas, the threats will not have to come from the outside,” Democratic Rep. Elissa Slotkin, a former CIA analyst and Pentagon official, said via Twitter following the Capitol siege. 

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National Guard asks people to please stop trying to give it donations, after photos of National Guardsmen sleeping on the floor of the Capitol spread on social media

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UNITED STATES – JANUARY 13: A member of the National Guard reads Atlas Shrugged in the Capitol Visitor Center as the House debates an article of impeachment against President Donald Trump on Wednesday, January 13, 2021.

Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

  • The National Guard said Wednesday that it is not capable of accepting donations.
  • The statement came after some were moved to donate after seeing photos of National Guard members sleeping on the floor of the US Capitol.
  • The National Guard assured the public that its members have proper sleeping quarters.
  • Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories.

Members of the US National Guard were seen Wednesday sleeping on the floors of the US Capitol, but that does not mean they lack proper sleeping quarters or otherwise help from members of the public.

“While we appreciate the many offers and people who care about our soldiers and airmen, we are not logistically able to accept donations of any kind,” the National Guard said in a statement.

Thousands of National Guard members are currently in Washington, DC, to prevent a repeat of the January 6 insurrection and any outbreaks of violence during President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration.

In response to news stories about soldiers laying on the floor of the Capitol, some were moved to act, thinking a cold, hard floor was to be their only respite.

Brian Bartlett, a Republican communications strategist, raised more than $3,000 on GoFundMe to buy sleeping pads “so they can get a decent rest as they protect our democracy!”

But the National Guard soon clarified: “please know our National Guardsmen have appropriate lodging for when they are off-duty; the photos circulating are of them on-duty, in a designated rest area between shifts.”

In an update, Bartlett told supporters he would be returning the sleeping pads he purchased “and asking GoFundMe to refund all donations.”

Have a news tip? Email this reporter: cdavis@insider.com

Expanded Coverage Module: capitol-siege-module

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The Army and Secret Service are looking at extra security screenings for US troops who will be at Biden’s inauguration

A member of the DC National Guard gives directions near a rally at Freedom Plaza Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2021, in Washington, in support of President Donald Trump.
A member of the DC National Guard gives directions near a rally at Freedom Plaza Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2021, in Washington, in support of President Donald Trump.

AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin

  • The US Army and US Secret Service are working together to determine which troops participating in President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration need additional background screening, an Army spokesperson told Insider.
  • The move, which was first reported by Army Times, follows a request from Colorado Rep. Jason Crow, a former Army ranger, for a review of inauguration troops to root out those sympathetic to domestic terrorists, which is how individuals who stormed the Capitol last week have been described.
  • The Army spokesperson also said that the DC National Guard is providing additional training on reporting known or suspected extremist behavior to troops coming into the nation’s capital.
  • Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories.

The US Army and the US Secret Service are looking at additional security screening for some US troops expected to take part in President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration next week, an Army spokesperson told Insider Tuesday.

“The Army is working with the Secret Service to determine which service members supporting the national special security event for the Inauguration require additional background screening,” the spokesperson said in an emailed statement.

Army Times was first to report this development as security concerns rise after the Capitol siege by a pro-Trump mob and an FBI warning ta ht far-right groups are discussing days of “armed protests” ahead of inauguration.

News of the Army and Secret Service efforts follow a call between Colorado Rep. Jason Crow and Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy, during which Crow asked the secretary to have military criminal investigative units to look into “troops deployed for the inauguration to ensure that deployed members are not sympathetic to domestic terrorists.”

In a statement on the call, Crow, a former Army ranger, said that McCarthy agreed to take additional measures.

Crow’s concerns about domestic terror sympathies in the armed forces stem from the assault on the Capitol last week that included military veterans and possibly current service members.

Other veterans in Congress, such as Arizona Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego, condemned military personnel who participated in the riots, saying: “In attacking the Capitol, the Congress, and the Constitution that they swore to protect, any current or former military members who may have participated have disgraced themselves and committed serious crimes against the People of the United States.”

The Army spokesperson who emailed Insider said that all US service members take part in the annual Threat Awareness and Reporting Program, which urges military personnel to report known or suspected extremist behavior.

The official said that the DC National Guard is providing additional training to service members coming into DC. There are already several thousand Guard members in the nation’s capital, and the Department of Defense is authorized to deploy as many as 15,000 troops ahead of the inauguration.

As for current members of the military that may have participated in the storming of the Capitol, the Army official said that this is being investigated.

“There is no place for extremism in the military and we will investigate each report individually and take appropriate action,” the spokesperson said. 

“The Army is committed to working closely with the FBI as they identify people who participated in the violent attack on the Capitol to determine if the individuals have any connection to the Army,” the official added. “Any type of activity that involves violence, civil disobedience, or a breach of peace may be punishable under the Uniform Code of Military Justice or under state or federal law.”

Talking with Crow on Sunday, McCarthy told the congressman that “DoD is aware of further possible threats posed by would-be terrorists in the days up to and including Inauguration Day and is working with local and federal law enforcement to coordinate security preparations.”

A new FBI bulletin reported Monday warned of possible “armed protests” at the US Capitol and all 50 state capitols ahead of Biden’s inauguration.

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The Pentagon blocked the DC National Guard from receiving riot gear or interacting with protesters without explicit approval from Trump’s defense secretary

GettyImages 1295091200 WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 07: (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)
DC National Guard guardsmen stand outside the U.S. Capitol on January 07, 2021 in Washington, DC. Supporters of President Trump had stormed and desecrated the building the day before as Congress debated the a 2020 presidential election Electoral Vote Certification.

John Moore/Getty Images

  • The Pentagon placed major restrictions on the DC National Guard leading up to Wednesday’s attempted insurrection, The Washington Post reported Thursday.
  • Officials curtailed the ability of DC guardsmen to deploy troops, receive ammo and riot gear, engage with protesters, share equipment with local police, and use surveillance without explicit approval from Trump’s acting Defense Secretary, Christopher Miller, according to the Post.
  • Guardsmen didn’t arrive to support US Capitol Police — who were ill-prepared and quickly overrun — until more than two hours after the USCP chief called for them, according to the Post.
  • The muted approach was allegedly meant to avoid backlash that followed an aggressive response to BLM protests last summer, but the response has drawn sharp criticism from Democratic lawmakers, activists, and even some law enforcement experts for being insufficient.
  • Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories.

In the days before Trump supporters’ attempted insurrection, the Department of Defense placed major limitations on the tactics, equipment, and resources the DC National Guard could make use of in dealing with protesters, The Washington Post reported Thursday.

Pentagon officials sent memos on January 4 and January 5 banning DC guardsmen from receiving ammo and riot gear, engaging with protesters (except for self-defense), sharing equipment with local police, or using surveillance or air assets without explicit approval from Trump’s acting Defense Secretary, Christopher Miller, according to the Post.

The additional bureaucratic hurdle delayed the DC Guard’s response after US Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund asked on Wednesday for 200 guardsmen to provide backup – with guardsmen not arriving until 2.5 hours later – according to the Post.

Five fatalities, including one law enforcement officer, have been confirmed so far in connection with Wednesday’s violence.

USCP, who had only planned for peaceful protests – despite numerous warning indicators suggesting protesters may turn violent – were massively vastly outnumbered by the rioters and were quickly overrun.

It’s not clear how many officers were on-duty Wednesday, but USCP has a total of 2,300 officer and civilian employees who patrol 16 acres of land and protect 535 members of Congress and their staff.  By comparison, Minneapolis has around 840 uniformed officers who police 425,000 residents spread across a 6,000-acre area, according to the Associated Press.

DC Guards were not initially deployed to the US Capitol in large numbers, in part because city and Pentagon officials wanted to avoid the backlash that followed Trump’s aggressive use of federal law enforcement to attack peaceful protesters following the death of George Floyd, according to the Post.

USCP itself rejected multiple offers for help from federal law enforcement ahead of Wednesday’s events, and according to the Post, Mayor Muriel Bowser had only requested 340 guardsmen, mostly to monitor traffic and public transit.

But DC guard troops answer to state governors, and since DC is not a state, Bowser had to request additional support on Wednesday from the Pentagon, which answers to Trump – a task that proved to be difficult and slow-moving.

Bowser and her staff, as well as lawmakers trapped in the Capitol, called on the governors of neighboring Maryland and Virginia, who themselves were initially ignored by the Pentagon when they asked military leaders to deploy additional guardsmen.

Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy, who effectively commands the DC Guard, said at a press conference Thursday that 6,200 guardsmen would be deployed by the weekend and that a “non-scalable” 7-foot fence would be set up around the Capitol. He added that military officials had planned for Wednesday assuming it would be like other recent protests and that not in their “wildest imagination” did they expect rioters to breach the Capitol.

But decisions by law enforcement – USCP as well as local and federal agencies – not to prepare for riots have drawn sharp criticism. Former DC Metropolitan Police Chief Charles Ramsey slammed the police response, telling CNN that “they need to be locking them up without question,” with regards to rioters inside the Capitol.

USCP “were not prepared for today,” Democrat Rep. Val Demings told the Baltimore Sun, adding: “I certainly thought that we would have had a stronger show of force.”

Activists also pointed to the disparity between law enforcement’s relatively passive response to violent protesters Wednesday and the mass arrests and aggression used against largely peaceful anti-racism protests.

Sund, the USCP chief, and another high-ranking Capitol security officer have already announced their plans to resign, and more are expected to go.

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Maryland governor tried to deploy National Guard in DC only for his calls to be ignored

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UNITED STATES – JANUARY 7: National Guard troops march past the Dirksen Senate Office Building on the U.S. Capitol grounds on Thursday, January 7, 2021, following the riot at the Capitol the day before.

Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

  • Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, a Republican, said Thursday that he tried to deploy his state’s National Guard to assist in Washington, DC, but was thwarted.
  • Hogan said he was “repeatedly” told he lacked the authorization to deploy the troops, The Washington Post reported.
  • According to The New York Times, the decision to authorize National Guard deployments ultimately came from Vice President Mike Pence, marking an apparent break with the chain in command.
  • Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories.

As besieged lawmakers pleaded for help, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, a Republican, said he was “repeatedly” told that he lacked the authority to deploy his state’s National Guard to help put down the pro-Trump insurrection at the US Capitol.

According to The Washington Post, Hogan was urged to deploy the troops by House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, a Democrat from Maryland, and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.

“I was actually on the phone with Leader Hoyer who was pleading with us to send the guard,” Hogan said, The Post reported. “He was yelling across the room to Schumer and they were back and forth saying we do have the authorization and I’m saying, ‘I’m telling you we do not have the authorization.'”

As rioters smashed windows and forced lawmakers into hiding, the head of the Maryland National Guard was told he could not come to the aid of US Capitol police, per Hogan.

Ninety minutes later, according to Hogan, the secretary of the Army, Ryan McCarthy, called him to request the deployment.

Typically such calls come from the US Secretary of Defense. It was not the only apparent breach in the chain of command on Wednesday. The order to deploy the National Guard came not from the commander in chief, President Donald Trump, but rather Vice President Mike Pence, according to The New York Times.

Have a news tip? Email this reporter: cdavis@insider.com

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More National Guard troops are being deployed in Washington, DC as Trump supporters storm the Capitol

Trump supporters try to break through a police barrier, Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021, at the Capitol in Washington
Trump supporters try to break through a police barrier, Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021, at the Capitol in Washington

AP Photo/Julio Cortez

  • The governor of Virginia said Wednesday he is sending additional National Guard troops to DC as Trump supporters storm the Capitol.
  • The Pentagon also issued a statement announcing that the DC Guard was being activated in response to the unrest.
  • Maryland’s governor said Wednesday afternoon that he was sending troopers into DC to support the Metropolitan Police Department and Capitol Police.
  • Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories.

As a crowd of Trump supporters storm the US Capitol Wednesday to challenge congressional efforts to certify President-elect Joe Biden’s win, more National Guard troops are being deployed to Washington, DC.

Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam announced that he was sending additional National Guard troops into the city Wednesday afternoon. In addition to the Guard members, Northam said that he was sending 200 Virginia State Troopers in response to a request from DC Mayor Muriel Bowser.

The Pentagon sent out a statement shortly thereafter announcing that “the DC Guard has been mobilized to provide support to federal law enforcement in the District.” The Department of Defense stated that the “law enforcement response will be led by the Department of Justice.”

Both the Washington Post and ABC News reported that the entire DC National Guard was being activated in response to unrest.

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan announced Wednesday afternoon that he is sending in additional law enforcement to support local authorities in DC.

Ahead of Wednesday’s violent protests, 340 National Guard troops were activated in DC to support local law enforcement. The unarmed Guard troops were primarily tasked with traffic and checkpoint management.

National Guard troops were deployed to DC last summer in response to large-scale protests calling for racial justice following the death of an unarmed Black man in police custody. More than 2,000 Guard members were called in from both inside and outside DC.

At one point in early June, the Pentagon also had around 1,600 active-duty troops in position outside the city to provide additional support, but they ultimately returned home without entering the city.

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