Following last week's violent Capitol siege by Trump supporters during the counting of the Electoral College vote, troops from the National Guard have been sent to secure the House and downtown Washington, D.C., as warnings of possible violent demonstrations continue.
The state of play: Capitol Hill prepares for President Trump's second impeachment on Wednesday. If the House votes to impeach Trump, as they are expected to do, he would be the only president in U.S. history to be impeached twice.
- According to Bloomberg's Erik Wasson, this is the first time troops have camped in the Capitol since the Civil War.
- 15,000 members of the National Guard have been mobilized ahead of Biden's inauguration, meaning that there are more troops deployed on Capitol Hill than there are in Iran or Afghanistan, per Fox News.
- Roll Call's Jim Saksa reports that members of the National Guard are sleeping inside the Capitol and "don't know how long they'll be here."
In photos:
Members of the National Guard rest in the Capitol Visitors Center on Capitol Hill. Photo: Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images
Members of the National Guard walk through the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol. Photo: Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) spreads out her arms as she goes through security outside the House Chamber. Photo: Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images
Troops in the Capitol Rotunda. Photo: Glen Johnson/Axios
Troops sleep in the Capitol Visitors Center. Photo: Glen Johnson/Axios
Troops rest with their guns pointed up. Photo: Stefani Reynolds/Getty Images
Weapons being distributed outside the Capitol. Photo: Stefani Reynolds/Getty Images
Further weapons distribution. Photo: Stefani Reynolds/Getty Images
The Speaker of the House thanks the men and women of the National Guard for protecting the U.S. Capitol. pic.twitter.com/QwZlpeAWPp
— Drew Hammill (@Drew_Hammill) January 13, 2021
