WASHINGTON (AFP) - US law enforcement agencies are screening National Guard members to make sure they do not pose a security risk during President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration, a four-star general said in comments broadcast Sunday (Jan 17). Following the Jan 6 riots at the Capitol building in support of outgoing President Donald Trump, it emerged that some of those involved had current or former ties to the military. General Daniel Hokanson, who heads the National Guard Bureau, was asked by CBS News on Sunday if troops were being checked as they arrived in Washington. "In coordination with the Secret Service and the FBI, they're screening all the personnel that are coming in," Hokanson said. Much of Washington resembles a fortified compound in a war zone, with most of the downtown area blocked off, security fences topped by razor wire and about 25,000 National Guard troops deployed to the capital. In a recent letter to all US troops, the Joint Chiefs of Staff told service members the Jan 6 riots were "inconsistent with the rule of law" and said troops "must embody the values and ideals of the nation."
United States President-elect Joe Biden views his mission abroad as one of restoring America's leadership of the world, and has vowed to mend Washington's ties with its allies. But this comes amid a nadir in America's global reputation, and with partners sceptical that Washington will be able to commit as much as it promises. Please subscribe or log in to continue reading the full article. Get unlimited access to all stories at $0.99/month Latest headlines and exclusive stories In-depth analyses and award-winning multimedia content Get access to all with our no-contract promotional package at only $0.99/month for the first 3 months* *Terms and conditions apply.
WASHINGTON - When Melania Trump released a rare statement on Monday (Jan 11) deploring last week's storming of the Capitol and naming those who died, she started with Ashli Babbitt, a 41-year-old woman who was shot in the chest and killed by a police officer as she tried to break open a door. Ms Babbitt was reportedly not only a Donald Trump supporter, but a QAnon adherent. Separately, a 41-year-old man, one of the first to break into the building and who two days later surrendered to police in his hometown Des Moines, Iowa, wore a QAnon T-shirt at the invasion of the Capitol. Investigators said he told them he "wanted to have his T-shirt seen on video so that 'Q' could 'get the credit,'" FBI special agent Julie Williams wrote in a statement. QAnon is a loosely connected, cult-like, rambling network of conspiracy theories. Once delegated to the fringe, it has been veering into the mainstream. At least two QAnon supporters are in Congress: Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and Lauren Boebert of Colorado - who last week threatened to bring her Glock pistol to Congress in violation of District of Columbia (DC) laws.
