Capitol Police have requested that National Guard troops remain at the US Capitol for another two months.
The request is being reviewed by the Pentagon, as the 5,000 Guard members currently protecting the building are set to go home on March 12.
Guard members were first deployed to the building after the Jan. 6 riot that left five people — including a Capitol Police officer — dead.
Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) told the Associated Press that the request for the extension was made in recent days, and that the Guard is now looking for volunteers from states to deploy.
Slotkin said members of Congress want transparency from the Pentagon on its plan to protect the Capitol from another insurrection.
National Guard members guard the US Capitol in Washington, DC, on March 4, 2021. Carolyn Kaster/AP“We want to understand what the plan is,” she said.
“None of us like looking at the fencing, the gates, the uniformed presence around the Capitol. We can’t depend on the National Guard for our security,” she added.
Capitol Police have requested that National Guard troops remain at the US Capitol for another two months. Jacquelyn Martin/APThe potential extension comes as Capitol Police increased security on Thursday after the agency reviewed intelligence that showed a possible plot to breach the building by a militia group.
“We have already made significant security upgrades to include establishing a physical structure and increasing manpower to ensure the protection of Congress, the public and our police officers,” Capitol Police said in a statement.
National Guard soldiers patrol the grounds of the US Capitol after police warned that a militia group might try to attack the Capitol complex in Washington, DC. Jonathan Ernst/REUTERSWith Post wires
