National Guard will stay in Washington though March due to Trump impeachment trial: report
By Zack Budryk - 01/24/21 01:24 PM EST
Thousands of National Guard troops will remain in Washington, D.C. through former President Trump’s impeachment trial, four unidentified sources told Politico.
With the former president’s Senate trial set to begin Feb. 8, the Pentagon is reportedly concerned about the possibility of mass demonstrations in the city.
Up to 5,000 troops will remain in the nation's capital through mid-March, the news outlet reported. The Guard was previously deployed following Jan. 6’s deadly riots by pro-Trump mobs seeking to overturn the results of the 2020 election.
Guard members, meanwhile, have taken exception to what they say is an unclear mission.
“Quite frankly this is not a ‘combat zone,’ so combat conditions shouldn’t apply,†an Afghanistan veteran currently deployed to the capital told Politico.
Rank-and-file Guard members have not been given an official justification for their continued presence, two members said.
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https://thehill.com/policy/defense/535586-national-guard-may-stay-in-washington-though-march-due-to-impeachment-security