Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) says he finds it “insulting” that the FBI is passing on members of the National Guard, including those from Texas, in Washington ahead of President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration on Wednesday.
“No one should ever question the loyalty or professionalism of the Texas National Guard,” Abbott wrote in a tweet on Monday evening.
There are about 25,000 National Guard members in Washington to secure the inauguration, including about 1,000 from Texas, in response to the deadly January 6 uprising at the Capitol.
Abbott wrote that he would not re-send the Texas National Guard to Washington if they are vetted prior to the inauguration.
Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy told The Associated Press on Sunday that officials are aware of the potential threat, warning commanders to be on the lookout for problems within their ranks as the inauguration approaches.
So far, however, he and other leaders say they have seen no evidence of any threat, and officials said the vetting had not identified any issues they were aware of.
In a situation like this, FBI vetting would involve going through people’s names through databases and watchlists maintained by the agency to see if anything alarming comes up, according to The Associated Press. That could include involvement in previous investigations or terrorism-related concerns, said David Gomez, a former FBI national security supervisor in Seattle.