WASHINGTON (AP) – Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin has formally approved an extension of the National Guard’s deployment to the U.S. Capitol for another two months, as possible threats of violence still exist, the Pentagon said Tuesday.
According to a statement issued by the department, nearly 2,300 guard troops will continue to provide security in Washington until May 23, at the request of Capitol police. Officials have been scrambling in recent days to determine if and how to complete the request, as the original deadline for their departure for Washington on March 12 is up and running.
There are currently about 5,100 guard troops in Washington, and they would be leaving this weekend. It was unclear whether any of the troops would have to stay an extra day or two while new troops arrived and were trained and settled. The Pentagon said defense officials will work with police in Capitol to increase the number of guards in the city as time goes on.
The decision to keep Guard members in the city highlights security concerns at the Capitol, two months after rioters stormed the building in an attack that left five people dead. Law enforcers have remained in an elevated security position in response to intelligence indicating possible threats to the Capitol by militia groups.
The request to expand the deployment was resisted last week because some governors expressed their reluctance or flatly refused to give their troops more time in the city. There now appear to be enough states willing to provide Guard troops for the mission, said defense officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberation.
Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said earlier Tuesday that the decision to maintain a guard presence would be based on local law enforcement concerns, along with the needs of Capitol police.
“It’s not just about a threat assessment, it’s about providing assistance and supporting capabilities that the Capitol Police may now lack and possibly need to improve,” Kirby said, adding that the extension request is based primarily on the use of the guard to make up. gaps in the capabilities of the Capitol Police.
Army leaders also initially questioned whether Capitol police had any other options to meet the need, such as asking other federal law enforcement agencies to provide security. According to officials, military leaders believe it is 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 president’s original inauguration day. The day passed without a hitch, but law enforcement officials said there were still threats to buildings and staff.
The guard’s deployment to the Capitol is difficult. Early on, the members of the guard were briefly forced to take rest and meals in a cool garage, which sparked unrest within the Biden administration. Officials quickly found new spaces in convention buildings for the service interruptions.
In addition, Guard members complained about bad food, and some said they became ill. On Monday, Kirby said about 50 guards were treated for gastrointestinal problems, out of the 26,000 deployed to Washington. He said six sought medical treatment for outpatients, while the rest were treated at auxiliary stations set up for the Capitol Hill mission.
According to Kirby, General Daniel Hokanson, head of the National Guard Bureau, has visited the troops several times a week and eaten with them to ensure they get good food.
Acting Capitol Police Chief Yogananda Pittman has requested that members of the guard remainwhich initiates a series of discussions with the leaders of the Pentagon and the National Guard.
U.S. military officials say the cost of deploying about 26,000 guard troops to the U.S. Capitol from shortly after the January 6 to Friday riots is about $ 500 million. No cost estimate for the next two months was released. The costs include housing, transportation, salaries, benefits and other necessities.