Active duty troops in Washington, D.C., to respond to violence, Pentagon confirms

The Pentagon late Tuesday confirmed that about 1,600 active-duty Army soldiers are now in the Washington, D.C., area in what military officials called a “prudent planning measure” in response to the ongoing protests in the nation’s capital.

An infantry battalion from the 82nd Airborne Division’s Immediate Response Force (IRF) is part of the contingent and is believed to be at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland.

The 91st Military Police Battalion from Fort Drum, New York, and the 16th Military Police Brigade headquarters from Fort Bragg, North Carolina, also has been confirmed to be part of the active duty Army units in the DC area.

Pentagon officials said the active-duty units moved into the National Capital Region over the last 24 hours. They are not currently in the District of Columbia but will remain on a “heightened alert status.”

On Monday, Sen. Tom Cotton, Arkansas Republican, called on President Trump to invoke the Insurrection Act and use active duty troops to end the violence and looting in major American cities. A combat veteran himself, Mr. Cotton also drew criticism in some quarters for urging the troops to “show no quarter” when dealing with the worst elements in the rioting.