Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said Monday he finds it “offensive” that the FBI should judge members of the National Guard, including those from his own state, ahead of presidential election Joe Biden on Wednesday.
“This is the most offensive thing I’ve ever heard,” Abbott, a Republican, wrote on Twitter. “No one should ever question the loyalty or professionalism of the Texas National Guard.”
The deadly riot at the Capitol earlier this month prompted city officials to take drastic measures to ensure the inauguration is safe.
INSIDER ATTACK DANGERED DAYS BEFORE WEARING OFFER, SERVICE MEMBERS WANTED IN DC BY FBI
About 25,000 National Guard troops were sent to the capital – including about 1,000 from Texas.
“I authorized more than 1,000 to go to DC,” Abbott wrote. “I will never do it again if they despise so much.”
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott speaks at a news conference where he gave an update on Texas’ response to COVID-19, Thursday, September 17, 2020, in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo / Eric Gay)
U.S. defense officials said they were concerned about an insider attack or other threat from service personnel involved in securing the inauguration, which asked the FBI to vet all national troops to Washington DC for the event.
Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy told the AP that officials were aware of the possible threat, and he warned commanders to be on the lookout for problems within their ranks as the inauguration approaches.
ACTING SECRETARY OF DEFENSE SAY NO INTEL OF INSIDER threatening to inaugurate
“We are constantly going through the process and looking at the second, third look at each of the individuals assigned to this operation,” McCarthy said.
He and other leaders say they saw no evidence of threats, and officials noted that the investigation did not identify any issues they were aware of.
Acting Secretary of Defense Chris Miller said in a statement Monday that the Department of Defense had also not received any information indicating a possible threat from inside.
Yet Miller added that the department “leaves no stone unturned to secure the capital”.
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“This type of investigation is regularly conducted by law enforcement for major security events. In this case, however, the extent of military participation is unique,” he said.
Fox News’ Edmund DeMarche and Lucas Manfredi and the Associated Press contributed to this report