States ready to send National Guard to vote on certification and inauguration in Washington

WASHINGTON (AP) — More than two dozen states have said they are willing to send National Guard troops to Washington if asked in the weeks after the presidential election and ahead of the inauguration, Guard officials said Monday.

The District of Columbia has not yet made any formal request for Guard troops, but government officials are preparing for the possibility that the U.S. Capitol could once again be rocked by violence. certification of elections by Congress January 6, and the inauguration two weeks later.

About 25,000 Guard troops from across the country poured into Washington in the days following the deadly riot on Jan. 6, 2021, when thousands of supporters of then-President Donald Trump stormed the Capitol in an attempt to stop Congress from certifying Joe Biden’s victory.

Troops, along with local and federal law enforcement, locked down the city during the inauguration, securing the Capitol, monuments, subway entrances and the downtown perimeter.

Speaking to reporters Monday, Col. Jean-Paul Laurenceau, chief of future operations for the National Guard Bureau, said it was not yet clear how many Guard troops would be needed or requested this year. He said it would depend on what D.C. wants, but noted that the National Guard Bureau and states are leaning forward in anticipation of requests for help.

“We’re here to support D.C. with maintenance, housing, transportation, whatever they need to prepare for this mission,” he said.

Other officials said it would also depend on intelligence reports assessing potential threats to the city and the transition of power.

Trump’s statements heighten fears of possible violence — without evidence — that voter fraud is already occurring. At rally after rally, he told his supporters that the only way they could lose was if Democrats cheated, and he repeatedly refused to say whether he would accept the results no matter the outcome.

Guard members have historically provided support for presidential inaugurations, dating back to the inauguration of President George Washington.

But the 2021 event has a huge resonance because of the Jan. 6 riot that forced lawmakers to flee the Capitol, delaying the certification of the presidential election by several hours. A few days later, Guard forces poured into the city by bus.

Several states have refused to send troops in 2021, also concerned about violence within their borders and capitals.

Defense Department officials said Monday that 10 states, including Pennsylvania, have used State Guard members to assist with elections, mostly for cybersecurity missions. The total number of military personnel is about 125 people.