Roughly 2,300 National Guard troops will support Capitol Police efforts in Washington, D.C. through at least May 23 after Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin approved a request to extend their deployment on Tuesday.
The state of play: The approval for continued deployment represents a 50% reduction to the current number of troops at the Capitol, which has been occupied by the Guard since the Jan. 6 attack by pro-Trump supporters.
Context: Congress is still receiving threats months after the insurrection.
- The House canceled voting plans for a day last week after a report from the FBI and Department of Homeland Security warned of threats against Democratic lawmakers.
What they're saying: "During this extended period, DOD officials will work with the U.S. Capitol Police to incrementally reduce the National Guard footprint as conditions allow," Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said in a statement.
- "This decision was made after a thorough review of the request and after close consideration of its potential impact on readiness."