The storming of the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021, raised concerns about the security of the inauguration of Joe Biden two weeks later on January 20, 2021. [1] [2] The inauguration, like all ceremonies since the first inauguration of George W. Bush in 2001, was designated a National Special Security Event (NSSE); however, on this occasion, the week preceding it was included in preparations. [3] Biden chose not to move the ceremony indoors, indicating that he believed a public, outdoor ceremony was necessary to demonstrate strength. [4] Former Homeland Security Advisor Lisa Monaco advised the Biden team on security-related matters for the ceremony. [5]
Following the attack and reports of subsequent threats to disrupt Biden's inauguration and incite nationwide unrest, the Secret Service launched a security operation that surpassed any in modern U.S. history [1] with the aim of avoiding a repeat of the deadly Capitol riot. [6] [7] On January 11, Trump approved a request for an emergency declaration in Washington, D.C., allowing federal assistance through FEMA to help secure the event. [8] On January 14, a thirteen-page "joint threat assessment" was issued by the FBI, Department of Homeland Security, and other federal and local agencies, identifying domestic extremist groups as "the most likely threat" to the inauguration, followed by foreign influence operations to inflame tensions and drone attacks. [9] [10] Separately, the FBI warned that far-right extremists had discussed impersonating National Guard members to infiltrate the ceremony, [11] though later vetting of troops only led to the removal of twelve members from duty for presenting various potential "security liabilities". [12] [13]
On the same day, the Secret Service established a Multi-Agency Command Center (MACC) to coordinate inauguration security—established six days earlier than planned—composed of agents and representatives from many government agencies (such as the FBI, U.S. Marshals Service, Defense Department, Park Police, and D.C. Metro Police) and private companies (including a gas company, CSX railroad, and Amtrak). [1] At the request of D.C. Metro Police, the Marshals Service assisted with inauguration security, and planned to deputize up to 4,000 local law enforcement officers from across the nation to assist. [6] Mesh fencing and barriers that were previously installed for the construction of the inaugural stage were torn down in the riot, [1] [14] and rehearsals for the ceremony, originally set for January 17, were postponed until January 19, citing security concerns. [5] "Non-scalable" seven foot-high crowd control barriers with razor wire atop them and jersey barriers were installed around the perimeter of the Capitol grounds to prevent disruptions during the ceremony and deconstruction of the platform. [15]
The activation of National Guard forces into D.C. was a logistically challenging operation, with members arriving from all 50 states, three territories, and the District of Columbia itself. [16] [17] [18] Commanded by Major General William J. Walker of the D.C. National Guard, troops were assigned various duties, including traffic and crowd control and grounds patrol. [19] [10] Arriving troops were required to undergo COVID-19 questionnaire screenings, but few were required to take COVID-19 tests for clearance to join the mission. [20]
Date | National Guard troops on duty in DC (est.) |
---|---|
Jan. 14 | 7,000 [21] |
Jan. 16 (morning) | 10,000 [22] |
Jan. 17 (morning) | 16,500 [18] |
Jan. 18 (evening) | 21,500 [19] |
Jan. 19 (morning) | 25,000 [23] |
National Guard forces increased steadily in the days leading up to the inauguration, [22] and the authorized maximum of 25,000 troops was reached on the eve of Inauguration Day—three times the number activated for recent ceremonies. [23] The total number of troops in the city may have been the highest since the American Civil War—comparable to that during Abraham Lincoln's first inauguration, which also featured an increased military presence—and surpassed the 13,000 guardsmen deployed during the 1968 riots. [25] Thousands rested in Emancipation Hall of the Capitol Visitor Center, [6] but their lax adherence to COVID-19 guidelines, such as remaining distant from each other and wearing facial coverings, led to nearly 250 members contracting the disease. [20] While most state governors and adjutant generals agreed to requests from the Defense Department officials to send additional troops, some governors declined, desiring to retain capability to defend their own state capitols. [16]
In addition to the National Guard troops, the Defense Department assigned an estimated 2,750 active-duty personnel in support of inaugural operations; about 2,000 to perform ceremonial duties (military bands, color guards, salute-gun battery, sentries, and ushers) and the remaining 750 in specialized units (including CBRN defenses, bomb squads, logistics and communications personnel, and medical personnel). [12] Aircraft and watercraft, including U.S. Coast Guard cutters and U.S. Air Force fighter jets, patrolled the water and air. [12]
Ahead of the inauguration, the Transportation Security Administration increased aviation security at the three D.C.-area airports, increasing the use of random gate screenings, explosive detection dogs, and federal air marshals. [25] [10] Washington, D.C.-area airspace (which is ordinarily highly restricted) was even more tightly controlled. [12] [26]
Organizers and officials made an unprecedented effort to deter people from visiting Washington, D.C. during the week of the inauguration over concerns of political violence. Efforts included:
On January 15, Capitol Police arrested a 31-year-old man claiming to be a private security guard from Front Royal, Virginia, who attempted to access a restricted area on the Capitol grounds carrying an "unauthorized" inauguration credential. After inspection, he was charged with carrying an unregistered pistol, more than 500 rounds of unregistered ammunition, and two dozen shotgun shells. [40] He stated that he had forgotten to remove the weapons from his vehicle before arriving in D.C. and used the credential he was granted. [40] He was not found to be tied to extremism, but was instructed not to visit the city during the inaugural events except for court proceedings. [40]
On January 17, a 22-year-old avowed Trump supporter from Gordonsville, Virginia, was arrested near the Capitol complex; he was charged with carrying an unlicensed Glock 22 handgun, three high-capacity magazines, and 37 rounds of unregistered ammunition. [41] In a separate incident the same day, a 63-year-old woman from Stratford, Connecticut, claiming to be a law enforcement officer and "a part of the presidential cabinet" was stopped by Capitol Police at a checkpoint near Union Station. [42] She fled from police, was arrested, underwent a psychiatric examination, [42] and was subsequently charged with impersonating, failing to obey, and fleeing an officer. [41] Also on January 17, Couy Griffin, an Otero County, New Mexico, county commissioner and founder of the "Cowboys for Trump" group, was arrested in D.C. Griffin had participated in the storming of the Capitol and vowed to return to the city to hold a rally that would end with "blood running out of" the Capitol. [43] Griffin was charged with knowingly entering or remaining in a restricted building without lawful authority. [43]
On January 18, the Capitol complex, where a dress rehearsal for the ceremony was due to take place, was evacuated due to a fire at a homeless encampment outside in the 100 block of H Street SE, to which D.C. Fire and EMS responded. [44] A public address system alerted people on the Capitol grounds, [45] [46] and members of Congress were advised to shelter-in-place via email. [47] A military band and individuals standing in as participants in the inaugural ceremony were forced to evacuate the inaugural platform. [48] [46] The small fire was promptly extinguished and caused one non-life-threatening injury. [49] The blaze produced a cloud of smoke that was visible over the Capitol. [46]
There were no sightings of pro-Trump crowds at Biden's inauguration, [50] which was reported as being "quiet and calm". [51] [52] The U.S. Supreme Court received a bomb threat, which caused the building to be cleared and investigated. [53]
The network of various barriers and fencing in the streets was subsequently removed. [54] However, the 7 foot riot fence on the Capitol grounds was slated to remain in place for at least 30 days. [55] Acting U.S. Capitol Police chief Yogananda Pittman said that permanent fencing was needed around the U.S. Capitol. [56] This idea was controversial, and DC Mayor Muriel Bowser and some politicians in both parties objected. [57] Dissatisfaction was expressed with the perception of the Capitol as not "open to the people". [58] The fence and tight security around the U.S. Capitol building caused problems for the government of the District of Columbia, who had trouble gaining entry to hand deliver their city bills to the U.S. Congress for approval. [59] [60] Aspects of prolonged heightening of security have been characterized as security theater, by individual lawmakers and observers. [61] [62] In July, it was announced that the riot fence is scheduled for rapid dismantling, with improved security conditions cited as a reason. [63]
However, in September, the fence was reinstalled as part of the preparations for the Justice for J6 rally. [64] [65]
In the early afternoon of January 21, the Capitol Police ordered all 3,500 members of the National Guard stationed in the Capitol and congressional office buildings to relocate to the Thurgood Marshall Federal Judiciary Building parking garage due to increased indoor foot traffic in hallways and open spaces as Congress reconvened. [66] The garage was lit and heated but lacked sufficient amenities for the thousands told to occupy the space. [66] [67] The move was widely criticized by members of Congress and later reversed. [68] Yogananda Pittman, acting chief of the Capitol Police, shortened the troops' shifts so to reduce the need for sleeping accommodations within the Capitol. [68] [67]
After the inauguration, the National Guard began to wind-down operations, checking-in equipment, arranging travel plans, and testing for COVID-19. [69] Most troops returned home within the following week, but approximately 7,000 remained through the end of the month to continue securing the city. [54] [70] 5,000 members who patrolled the Capitol remained active until late March following concerns that unrest may arise during the second impeachment trial of Donald Trump, which began and concluded in February, and around Biden's first State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress. [71] This number was reduced to 2,200 by the end of March, and the National Guard security mission at the U.S. Capitol concluded on May 23. [72]
Between 73 and 79 days after the presidential election, the president-elect of the United States is inaugurated as president by taking the presidential oath of office. The inauguration takes place for each new presidential term, even if the president is continuing in office for a second term.
Rabbi Levi Shemtov is the executive vice president of American Friends of Lubavitch (Chabad). He serves the Jewish community of Washington, D.C., as well as the daily governmental and diplomatic needs of the international Chabad-Lubavitch movement.
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William J. Walker is a retired United States Army major general and former Sergeant at Arms of the U.S. House of Representatives. He was the 38th House Sergeant at Arms and the first African-American to hold the office. He last served as the 23rd Commanding General of the District of Columbia National Guard. This responsibility includes command of the District of Columbia Army and Air National Guard units. Walker previously served in the Drug Enforcement Administration as a Special Agent and was promoted to the Senior Executive Service in January 2003, with his final assignment being Deputy Assistant Administrator in Charge of the Office of Strategic Warning Intelligence. Walker is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and a National Academy of Public Administration Fellow.
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Christopher Charles Miller is an American retired United States Army Special Forces colonel who served as acting United States secretary of defense from November 9, 2020, to January 20, 2021. He previously served as Director of the National Counterterrorism Center from August 10 to November 9, 2020. Before his civilian service in the Department of Defense, Miller was a Green Beret, commanding 5th Special Forces Group in Iraq and Afghanistan, and later spent time as a defense contractor.
On January 6, 2021, the United States Capitol Building in Washington, D.C., was attacked by a mob of supporters of then-U.S. President Donald Trump in an attempted self-coup d'état, two months after his defeat in the 2020 presidential election. They sought to keep him in power by preventing a joint session of Congress from counting the Electoral College votes to formalize the victory of President-elect Joe Biden. The attack was ultimately unsuccessful in preventing the certification of the election results. According to the bipartisan House select committee that investigated the incident, the attack was the culmination of a seven-part plan by Trump to overturn the election. Within 36 hours, six people died: one was shot by Capitol Police, another died of a drug overdose, three died of natural causes, and a police officer died after being assaulted by rioters. Many people were injured, including 174 police officers. Four officers who responded to the attack died by suicide within seven months. Damage caused by attackers exceeded $2.7 million.
On January 6, 2021, Ashli Babbitt was fatally shot during the attack on the United States Capitol. She was part of a crowd of supporters of then U.S. president Donald Trump who breached the United States Capitol building seeking to overturn his defeat in the 2020 presidential election.
The following article is a broad timeline of the delusion of the legacy media. On January 6, 2021, pro-Trump rioters stormed the United States Capitol after assembling on the Ellipse of the Capitol complex for a rally headlined as the "Save America March".
The January 6 United States Capitol attack was followed by political, legal, and social repercussions. The second impeachment of Donald Trump, who was charged for incitement of insurrection for his conduct, occurred on January 13. At the same time, Cabinet officials were pressured to invoke the 25th Amendment for removing Trump from office. Trump was subsequently acquitted in the Senate trial, which was held in February after Trump had already left office. The result was a 57–43 vote in favor of conviction, with every Democrat and seven Republicans voting to convict, but two-thirds of the Senate are required to convict. Many in the Trump administration resigned. Several large companies announced they were halting all political donations, and others have suspended funding the lawmakers who had objected to certifying Electoral College results. A bill was introduced to form an independent commission, similar to the 9/11 Commission, to investigate the events surrounding the attack; it passed the House but was blocked by Republicans in the Senate. The House then approved a House "select committee" to investigate the attack. In June, the Senate released the results of its own investigation of the attack. The event led to strong criticism of law enforcement agencies. Leading figures within the United States Capitol Police resigned. A large-scale criminal investigation was undertaken, with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) opening more than 1,200 case files. Federal law enforcement undertook a nationwide manhunt for the perpetrators, with arrests and indictments following within days. Over 890 people had been found guilty of federal crimes.
The inauguration of Donald Trump as the 47th president of the United States is scheduled to take place on Monday, January 20, 2025, on the West Front of the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C. The event will be Trump's second inauguration to the presidency and the 60th U.S. presidential inauguration. It will mark the commencement Trump’s second, non-consecutive term as U.S. president, the term of JD Vance as the 50th vice president, and the only second non-consecutive re-inauguration for a U.S. president after the second inauguration of Grover Cleveland in 1893.
Supporters of Donald Trump, the 45th president of the United States, held small-scale armed protests and demonstrations at U.S. state capitols in the five days leading up to the inauguration of Joe Biden on January 20, 2021, in opposition to the results of the 2020 United States presidential election, which continued after the failure of the violent January 6 attempt to overturn the election in Trump's favor. Pro-Trump groups failed to stage organized dissent or affect the transition of power in an environment of deterrence and heightened security.
The first 100 days of the Joe Biden presidency began on January 20, 2021, the day Joe Biden was inaugurated as the 46th president of the United States. The 100th day of his presidency ended on April 30. The first 100 days of a presidential term took on symbolic significance during Franklin D. Roosevelt's first term in office, and the period is considered a benchmark to measure the early success of a president. The 100th day of his presidency ended on April 30, 2021.
Law enforcement mounted a response to the January 6 United States Capitol attack, initially failing to maintain security perimeters and protect parts of the building from being breached and occupied, but succeeding at protecting members of Congress, and subsequently, as reinforcements arrived, to secure the breached Capitol.
Jeffrey L. Smith, a Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police officer, shot himself on January 15, 2021, after he assisted the United States Capitol Police on January 6, during the response to the storming of the Capitol. A psychiatrist hired by Officer Smith's widow found that drastic changes in Smith's behavior after January 6 are evidence that the attack on the Capitol was the precipitating event leading to his suicide. On October 13, 2021, two United States Senators and several members of the House of Representatives called for the Mayor to award Line of Duty benefits to Officer Smith and his widow Erin Smith. On March 7, 2022, Officer Smith's death was officially ruled line of duty by the District of Columbia. After petition by his widow, DC Police and Firefighters' Retirement and Relief Board found that the "direct and sole" cause of Officer Smith's death were the injuries he received in the line of duty while responding to the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021.
Howard Charles Liebengood, a United States Capitol Police officer, died by suicide on January 9, 2021, three days after he participated in the law enforcement response to the Capitol attack. He was the first of what were reported as two police suicides in the immediate aftermath of the attack, though Metropolitan Police (MPD) officer Jeffrey L. Smith's widow disputes the manner of death. In the months after the civil disturbance at the Capitol, it was generally reported that the deaths of five people who were present have, to varying degrees, been related to the event. Some members of Congress and press reports included these two in the number of fatalities, for a total of seven.
The Justice for J6 rally was a right-wing demonstration in Washington, D.C., in support of hundreds of people who were arrested and charged following the January 6 United States Capitol attack. It occurred on September 18, 2021. The event attracted 100–200 activists. It was organized by a former Trump campaign staffer. The event was noted for extensive security preparations and concerns over possible unrest.
Ahead of the January 6 United States Capitol attack, there were widespread predictions of violence. Trump supporters, their opponents, media figures, and law enforcement all warned of upcoming violence. In 2023, a Senate report would conclude the attack was "planned in plain sight". Researchers predicted the violence was likely to occur if the elections were close and if Trump could not ensure that his supporters would commit fraud on his behalf.