Federal law enforcement officials reportedly investigate several threats against U.S. lawmakers ahead of Senate trial of former president Donald Trump
Donald Trump More than two-thirds of Americans approve of Biden’s response to the coronavirus: poll Sarah Huckabee Sanders prefers to test Mexico’s president..
A source told The Associated Press that the threats have been posted in chat rooms and on online messages in recent days. The threat, which varies in credibility and details, includes plans to harm members of Congress while traveling to or from the U.S. Capitol, the source said.
Trump was indicted by the House earlier this month after a deadly riot by his supporters at the U.S. Capitol, and a Senate trail is expected to begin on February 8.
The siege led to the deployment of tens of thousands of troops from the National Guard to Washington, DC before the inauguration of President Biden, an event held largely virtually and without reports of violence.
Separately, local police in Washington, DC and federal homeland security officials said they were aware of ongoing talks among far-right groups to hold future armed protests in or around the Capitol.
The chatter, coupled with threats against lawmakers, prompted U.S. Capitol police to leave the National Guard in the coming weeks in the thousands of troops in DC, the AP reported.
According to the news service, all but about 7,000 guard troops will leave the capital of the country with some Guard presence that will remain in DC until mid-March.
Trump is the first president in history to be charged twice and is the first to face a Senate trial after leaving office.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell
Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellBiden attends first church service as president in DC, stops at local bagel shop Harry Reid ‘not particularly optimistic’. Biden will hear the nerves about the validity of Trump’s accusation. (R-Ky.) Promised Republicans would attend an orderly and thorough hearing after several of his House members accused the Democrats of pushing forward with a ‘quick’ accusation.
“Given the unprecedented speed of the House process, our proposed timeline for the initial phases contains a modest and reasonable amount of extra time for both parties to gather their arguments before the Senate hears them,” McConnell said last week. .
Trump faces one article of “inciting rebellion” over his remarks to supporters before attacking the Capitol. He told them to ‘march’ to the building and show “strength” while a joint session of Congress convened inside to confirm Biden’s election victory.
Trump has refused to admit that he lost the presidential election, while making unproven allegations about voter fraud and that he and his supporters falsely said the election was ‘stolen’.