Secretary of the Army Ryan McCarthy acknowledged there was “a little bit of confusion” following multiple requests for National Guard support from local officials in Washington.
At a press conference with Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser, Mr. McCarthy said “a lot of questions were asked” so military officials could “truly understand” the specifics behind the requests and how they could support the operation.
“As we worked through it, we ultimately made the determination about a half hour later to mobilize the entire D.C. National Guard. This has been incredibly fluid,” Mr. McCarthy said.
The Army Secretary also noted that he is required to work through Acting Secretary of Defense Christopher Miller to get final approval to mobilize national guard troops and work in coordination with local authorities.
• Mike Glenn can be reached at mglenn@washingtontimes.com.
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