Governor Greg Abbott says he's offended by vetting of Texas National Guard in DC
AUSTIN – Gov. Greg Abbott is not happy the Department of Defense and FBI are vetting the more than 1,000 Texas National Guard members sent to Washington, DC to help secure the presidential inauguration of Joe Biden on Wednesday, Jan. 20.
Gov. Abbott called the guard members, “disrespected,” and said he may never send them to DC again.
Authorities are doing extra vetting out of concern for a possible insider attack or other threat from service members involved in securing the inauguration.
“This is the most offensive thing I’ve ever heard,” Gov. Abbott tweeted Monday, Jan. 18. “No one should ever question the loyalty or professionalism of the Texas National Guard. I authorized more than 1,000 to go to DC. I’ll never do it again if they are disrespected like this.”
The massive undertaking reflects the extraordinary security concerns that have gripped Washington following the deadly January 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol by President Trump supporters.
In 2015, Gov. Abbott asked the State Guard to monitor a U.S. military training exercise in Texas dubbed “Jade Helm 15” amid internet-fueled suspicions that the war simulation was really a hostile military takeover.
