Acting Secretary of Defense Christopher Miller sends formal guidance to the Army that restricts them from authorizing the National Guard to protect the Capitol on January 5-6.

By his orders, Army secretary Ryan McCarthy can send in troops if needed, but they have only their bodies to protect themselves and others.

Unless Miller personally authorizes it, the D.C. National Guard cannot have weapons, helmets, body armor, or riot gear. They cannot monitor or attempt to identify protesters. They cannot conduct searches or arrests. They cannot borrow gear from other law enforcement officials. They cannot request help of any kind from other military or law enforcement agents.

In an interview with Vanity Fair after the Capitol attack, Miller tries to divert blame to Donald Trump for not giving him permission to use the National Guard. The memo shows that it was Miller’s own orders to the Army, not Trump’s lack of orders, that limited the military’s ability to protect our lawmakers.

Miller was promoted to his position after Trump lost the election.

External Sources

The Washington Post (Archived)

https://twitter.com/ThePubliusUSA/status/1356009632658026496

Photo: U.S. Secretary of Defense / Cropped & Color Edited (License)