National Guard troops will finally leave the grounds of the U.S. Capitol almost five months after being deployed to confront rioters Jan. 6.
The official mission for Guard troops ended Sunday night. The Pentagon announced last week that an extension of the mission timeline had not been requested, according to The Associated Press.
TODAY: Almost five months after the Jan. 6th insurrection the National Guard’s Joint Task Force D.C. Mission ended at midnight. Guard members head home today and tomorrow. #KOMONews pic.twitter.com/KA1PJPJtP1
— Holly Menino (@hollymenino) May 24, 2021
The extended presence of the National Guard had previously been requested due to alleged follow-up acts of violence planned after the Capitol riot, but most of those threats proved hollow. Potential demonstrations and violent attacks were allegedly planned on both Inauguration Day and March 4, a day of significance to QAnon believers, but both days came and went without incident. (RELATED: Congressman Proposes Sending Troops Stationed At The Capitol To The Southern Border)
Congress has since sparred over how to handle security at the Capitol going forward. Republicans have called for the National Guard to be dismissed for months.
House Democrats passed a significant spending bill to bolster Capitol security last week by just a single vote. The proposal would spend nearly $2 billion to increase security at the Capitol, including adding new cameras, fencing, stronger windows and doors and repairs to structures damaged on Jan. 6. (RELATED: 6 US Military Actions Shorter Than The Current Occupation Of The Capitol)
No Republicans voted for the bill. Three members of the Democratic “Squad,” Missouri Rep. Cori Bush, Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar and Massachusetts Rep. Ayanna Pressley voted no, citing opposition to increase police funding. Three more members, New York Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Jamaal Bowman and Michigan Rep. Rashida Tlaib, voted present.