re: Picture of National Guard Troops Sleeping on the Floor in the US Capitol

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Pentagon leaders must balance an array of threats on state capitols nationwide against the potential for renewed extremist violence in Washington, D.C., as they consider security plans ahead of President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration, senior officials said Tuesday.

Intelligence suggesting the potential for armed riots or attacks on state governments across the country came into focus as the Defense Department scrambled to ensure an adequate plan for providing National Guard aid for the Jan. 20 inauguration and avoid a repeat of last week’s attempted insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.

Neighboring states may need to reserve National Guard members to protect their own facilities and personnel, possibly limiting the ability of the Defense Department, which oversees the D.C. National Guard, to call on them for additional help.

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“We’re not going to pull too much out of their states and put them at risk, so a very delicate risk management process is underway,” Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy said in an interview.

In response to the threat, Guard members in Washington will carry their firearms, said two defense officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the issue.

Capitol Police pleaded for help on Jan. 6 as pro-Trump rioters smashed their way into the Capitol building, while Pentagon officials said inadequate planning meant they were unable to immediately respond. As part of their attempt to ensure a more robust military response, officials plan to station up to 15,000 Guard members — or potentially more — in and around the nation’s capital.

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