(ETH) – With the rising tensions leading up to the January 20th inauguration, A new report is revealing that up to 15,000 National Guard members could be deployed in Washington according to senior defense officials.
The deployment is said to be a part of a rapidly expanding response following a deadly insurrection at the Capitol last week. According to the Washington Post, Army Gen. Daniel R. Hokanson, who is the chief of the National Guard Bureau, stated in a call with reporters that about 6,000 guardsmen from six states have already arrived in the nation’s capital but will expand to about 10,000 by the weekend.
The chief also revealed that the National Guard will also be armed with weapons in Washington and carry them based on discussions with the FBI, police, and other agencies following reports of the FBI warning that armed protests are being planned across our nation’s capitals, beginning this week and running through Inauguration Day on January 20th.
“Obviously, we’re very concerned that we want our individuals to have the right to self-defense,” the general said. “And so, that will be an ongoing conversation, and if the senior leadership determines that that’s the right posture to be in, then that is something that we will do.”
Meanwhile, Two Capitol Police officers have also been suspended and another has been arrested for their alleged involvement in the riot on Jan. 6th, according to Rep. Tim Ryan, who is chair of the House Appropriations subcommittee handling the investigation into the police response to the Capitol attack last week.
“I know that there were two people that were suspended,” Ryan said during a press call. “One was the selfie officer and another was an officer that put a MAGA hat on that started directing some people around,” the lawmaker said.
