national guard Archives - Tennessee Star

Senate Passes Bill to Fund Capitol Police, National Guard, Resettlement of Afghans Who Helped U.S. Troops

July 30, 2021July 29, 2021 Admin

A $2.1 billion bill to fund the Capitol Police, National Guard and resettlement of Afghans who helped U.S. troops sailed through the Senate Thursday afternoon on a 98-0 vote.

The bill was brokered by Vermont Democratic Sen. Patrick Leahy and Alabama Republican Sen. Richard Shelby, the two top lawmakers on the Senate Appropriations Committee. The deal, which also provides funding for COVID-19-related measures around the Capitol complex, was reached amid reports that the Capitol Police was set to run out of money in the coming weeks.

Tennessee Republican’s Donation Funded South Dakota National Guard Deployment to Texas

July 5, 2021July 4, 2021 Admin

National Guard on duty securing the Capitol building ahead of Joe Biden’s inauguration.

A Tennessee Republican billionaire offered South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem funding to send National Guard troops to Texas to help manage the border crisis, the Associated Press reported Thursday.

Willis Johnson, 74, who earned his fortune by creating an international junkyard empire, offered Noem $1 million to deploy the South Dakota National Guard to the southern border, according to the AP. Noem accepted the donation despite Johnson living in Tennessee, earning skepticism from experts who said the donation could set a precedent for wealthy individuals to essentially activate the U.S. military for political reasons.

“I didn’t know it would build into a bonfire,” Johnson told the AP. “It’s getting out there a lot more than I thought.”

National Guard Scheduled to Leave Capitol Five Months After January 6 Riot

May 27, 2021May 26, 2021 Admin

National Guard troops are slated to decamp from Capitol Hill this week, nearly five months after thousands were deployed to safeguard Congress amid fears of further unrest after the violent Jan. 6 insurrection.

Personnel will fully depart the U.S. Capitol grounds this week, military officials and congressional aides said Monday, nearly five months after thousands were deployed to safeguard Congress allegedly over fears of unrest after the Jan. 6 reported “attempted insurrection” by former President Trump supporters, Politico reported.

Officer Identified, Looting Met with Heavy National Guard Presence in Brooklyn Center

April 14, 2021April 13, 2021 Admin

The Brooklyn Center police officer responsible for shooting 20-year-old Daunte Wright was identified Monday evening as agitators surrounded the local police station for a second straight night.

According to the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, officer Kim Potter, a 26-year veteran of the force, fired the fatal shot in Sunday’s incident. She is currently on administrative leave and a decision regarding her future with the Brooklyn Center Police Department is expected Tuesday.

Potter mistakenly drew her handgun instead of her Taser when Wright resisted arrest, according to partial body camera video released Monday.

Bipartisan House Leaders Say National Guard Presence at Capitol Is Unwarranted

March 14, 2021March 13, 2021 Admin

The Democratic and Republican leaders of the House Armed Services Committee called the current National Guard deployment on Capitol Hill unwarranted.

Democratic Rep. Adam Smith and Republican Rep. Mike Rogers, the committee’s respective chairman and ranking member, asked the Department of Defense to implement a “measured drawdown” of the guardsmen stationed at the Capitol in a joint statement Thursday.

National Guard General Opposed Keeping Troops in DC, Overruled by Austin

March 13, 2021March 12, 2021 Admin

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin reportedly overruled a memo from the commanding general of the National Guard who objected to keeping troops in D.C., according to Fox News.

The memo, written by Gen. Daniel Hokanson, was disseminated among the White House National Security Council last week and cited concerns over the National Guard already being overburdened with coronavirus issues, civil disturbances and wildfires, according to a report from Fox News.

Hundreds Gather in Streets as Jury Selection Begins in Chauvin Trial

March 9, 2021March 8, 2021 Peter D'Abrosca

Ahead of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin’s second-degree murder trial, hundreds have gathered in the heavily-fortified streets of Minneapolis to protest.

“Hundreds of people demanding justice for George Floyd and others killed by police as the trial of Derek Chauvin begins in Minneapolis,” Star-Tribune video journalist Mark Vancleave said on Twitter, attaching a video of the crowd.

Pentagon Reportedly Reviewing Request for National Guard to Remain at U.S. Capitol for 60 Additional Days

March 6, 2021March 5, 2021 Admin

The Pentagon is reviewing a Capitol Police request for the National Guard to remain stationed at the US Capitol for an additional two months, citing concerns about security and potential violence, defense officials told the Associated Press.

The National Guard was stationed at the Capitol following the violent breach Jan. 6 where five people died, the AP reported. Law enforcement has remained on high alert at the Capitol since Thursday after intelligence operatives uncovered a “potential plot” by far-right militia groups to storm the building.

Michigan Republican Rep Leading Charge to Give National Guard Troops Edible Food

March 6, 2021March 5, 2021 Peter D'Abrosca

After reports that National Guard troops deployed to Washington, D.C. have been forced to eat undercooked meat and other “disgusting” foods, a Republican U.S. Congressman from Michigan is taking a stand.

“Recently, there have been a cascade of reports describing the food being provided to our soldiers as poorly prepared, oftentimes inedible, and unacceptable,” Rep. Bill Huizenga (R-MI-02) said in a letter addressed to Acting Secretary of the Army John E. Whitley and Chief of the National Guard Bureau General Daniel R. Hokanson.

Cohen Says Trump ‘Worst Person in the World’

February 14, 2021February 13, 2021 Peter D'Abrosca

A Democrat congressman from Tennessee known for his hyperbolic attacks against former President Donald J. Trump does not appear to be slowing down, despite the fact that Trump no longer holds office.

“It was clear to me from jump street that Trump was the worst person in the world and responsible for orchestrating the insurrection,” Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN-09) said on Twitter. “It was a self-produced alternative show to his electoral defeat and he enjoyed watching it. He’s a narcissistic sociopath!”

Pentagon Estimates D.C. Security Costs at Nearly $1 Billion by March 15

February 11, 2021February 10, 2021 Admin

The Defense Department estimates the National Guard deployment at the Capitol through March 15 will cost nearly $483 million, in addition to $500 million it has already spent, Fox News reported Monday.

Approximately 26,000 National Guard troops from across the country were sent to Washington D.C. after the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol. The number has gradually reduced, however there are still more than 7,000 troops guarding the Capitol building with plans to gradually decrease its presence through the end of March, to fewer than 3,000 troops, according to Fox News.

Gov. Walz Activates National Guard for Third Time in a Year over Former Police Officer Chauvin’s Trial

February 8, 2021February 7, 2021 The Center Square

For at least the fourth time in the last year, Gov. Tim Walz has activated the National Guard.

This time, it’s to keep the peace during former police officer Derek Chauvin’s trial. The former police officer stands accused of killing George Floyd in May 2020.

Guard Troops Forced to Leave Capitol Building, Rest in Parking Garage Sparks Bipartisan Outrage

January 23, 2021January 22, 2021 Admin

Thousands of National Guard troops protecting the Capitol Hill complex during inauguration week were temporarily forced Thursday night to leave the buildings, sparking outrage among the troops and Congress.

“Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Schumer – why are American troops who are tasked with keeping security at the Capitol being forced to sleep in a parking lot? They deserve to be treated with respect, and we deserve answers,” House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, in a tweet, asked the two leaders of the Democrat-controlled Congress.

Tucker Carlson Blasts Steve Cohen for Racist Comments About National Guard

January 20, 2021January 19, 2021 Peter D'Abrosca

Tucker Carlson blasted a member of the U.S. House from Tennessee Monday night for suggesting that most of the National Guardsmen deployed in Washington, D.C. for President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration could be a threat because they are White and male.

“Democrats in Congress demanded that the troops sent to Washington this week submit to a political purity test — ‘ideological vetting,’ as they put it — to make certain that every soldier professed loyalty to the new regime,” Carlson said. “Not loyalty to our country, not loyalty to our Constitution, but loyalty to the aims of a specific political party. Nothing like that has ever happened in America and just a few months ago, it would have been unimaginable. Suddenly it’s compulsory.”

Multiple Agencies Will Participate in Inauguration Security Including the FBI and CBP

January 16, 2021January 15, 2021 Admin

Several agencies are participating in the U.S. Secret Service’s security protections around the inauguration in Washington, D.C., including the FBI and Customs and Border Protection.

The Metropolitan Police Department and the National Guard will join the FBI and Customs and Border Protection to participate in security efforts surrounding President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration on Jan. 20. FBI officials are investigating a substantial number of “concerning” comments online about potential events on and leading up to inauguration day, FBI Director Christopher Wray said in a briefing on Thursday.

Trump Campaign Discusses Biden’s Hands-Off Approach to Violent Rioters

September 1, 2020August 31, 2020 Jason M. Reynolds

President Donald Trump’s campaign issued a statement addressing Joe Biden’s reluctance to take on violent leftist rioters.

“Joe Biden just yesterday indicated he would not send the National Guard into cities and states where left-wing mobs are rioting – in Portland’s case, for more than three months. Last month he issued a written statement specifically about Portland, in which he called the rioters ‘peaceful protestors’ and accused federal law enforcement officers of ‘stoking the fires of division’ while the mob was literally setting fire to the federal courthouse. …”

Minneapolis Calls in National Guard to Stop Rioting

August 28, 2020August 27, 2020 Admin

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey announced Wednesday evening that the city asked the National Guard to assist in the unrest and rioting occurring on the streets of Minneapolis.

Minneapolis will also have a curfew that is going into effect immediately, KSTP reported.

Gov. Evers Doubles National Guard Presence in Kenosha to 500 as Shooting Suspect Faces Murder Charge

August 27, 2020August 26, 2020 Admin

There will be more Wisconsin National Guard troops in Kenosha, but not nearly as many as local leaders have requested.

Gov. Tony Evers on Wednesday doubled the number of troops he’s sending to Kenosha to 500 to help police officers trying to quell riots and looting in the wake of the Sunday shooting of a Black man by police officers.

Tennessee National Guard Soldiers Sent to DC Amid Unrest

June 6, 2020June 5, 2020 Anthony Gockowski

About 1,000 citizen-soldiers with the Tennessee National Guard were deployed to the nation’s capital this week to help keep the peace outside the White House.

Like many major cities, Washington has seen massive demonstrations in response to the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who was allegedly murdered by Minneapolis police. Many of the protests have taken a violent turn as Washington braced for what was expected to be its largest protest yet Saturday night.

Fargo Leaders Ask for Peace as Walz Sends National Guard to Clay County

June 5, 2020June 5, 2020 The Associated Press

Black leaders in North Dakota’s largest city pleaded for calm Thursday in the face of violent threats to disrupt a gathering in memory of George Floyd and advertised the event as a celebration, not a protest.

The OneFargo event is scheduled Friday afternoon at a downtown Fargo park. Organizers had planned to march from Island Park to City Hall for a sit-in, but have scrapped that idea after social media threats surfaced to burn down the city offices and commit other violent acts.

Minnesota National Guard Working Toward 10,800 Troops for Twin Cities Area

May 31, 2020May 30, 2020 Anthony Gockowski

The Minnesota National Guard now has more than 4,100 troops deployed in the Twin Cities and said it is working toward a total of 10,800 citizen-soldiers for the area.

“This is a significant increase over the 700 on-duty Friday. We live here. We work here. We serve here. We’re all in,” the National Guard said on Twitter Saturday.

A City in Ruins: Three Nights of Riots Leave South Minneapolis Looking Like War Zone

May 30, 2020May 30, 2020 Anthony Gockowski

MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota – Three consecutive nights of rioting in response to the alleged murder of an unarmed black man at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer have left stretches of the city in ruins, producing scenes most accurately described as a war zone.

Officer Derek Chauvin, the man filmed pressing his knee into the neck of a handcuffed George Floyd, was arrested Friday on charges of murder and manslaughter. He and three colleagues involved in the incident were fired from the Minneapolis Police Department Tuesday.

Whitmer Requests Extension to Continue Using National Guard for Coronavirus Response

May 29, 2020May 28, 2020 Jordyn Pair

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has submitted a letter to President Trump requesting the authority to continue using the Michigan National Guard to help in coronavirus response and recovery through the end of July.

Whitmer originally asked the National Guard to assist with the state’s coronavirus response on March 18. Trump approved her request on March 30.

Gov. Walz Activates National Guard in Response to Minneapolis Riots, Declares Emergency

May 29, 2020May 28, 2020 Anthony Gockowski

Gov. Tim Walz announced Thursday afternoon that he has signed an executive order activating the Minnesota National Guard to help respond to the riots in Minneapolis.

Wednesday night’s riots were marked by widespread looting, vandalism, and arson, leaving portions of south Minneapolis in ruins. In one case, a construction site being developed for low-income housing was set ablaze early Thursday morning and collapsed into the street below it as rioters cheered.

National Guard Deployed to Nursing Homes, as Senator Housley Suggested

May 16, 2020May 15, 2020 Admin

Senator Karin Housley has been pushing for testing in nursing homes and on May 14 the National Guard was rolled out.

National Guard workers are currently assigned to help test people. According to KNSI radio, the Guards are trained medics, and many of them work clinical jobs. The Governors of Pennsylvania, Colorado, California, Maryland, Georgia, and Florida had all deployed the national guard by late April.

Michigan National Guard Prepares COVID-19 Response at TCF Center

April 2, 2020April 1, 2020 Admin

The Michigan National Guard is helping Detroit prepare additional space to care for COVID-19 patients.

About 20 members of the Michigan National Guard will help the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) form a Federal Medical Station (FMS) at TCF Center in Detroit from Tuesday through today.

Those members will manage inventory to prepare for the care of those with COVID-19.

Tennessee Nursing Home Sees Massive COVID-19 Outbreak

March 31, 2020March 30, 2020 Anthony Gockowski

More than 100 residents and staff of a nursing home in Sumner County, Tennessee have tested positive for the coronavirus, Gov. Bill Lee’s office said Sunday.

FAKE NEWS: White House Denies AP Report On National Guard Rounding Up Illegals

February 18, 2017February 17, 2017 Christina Botteri

The White House disputed an Associated Press report Friday that President Donald Trump is considering sending the National Guard to round up illegal immigrants. “This is not true,” White House press secretary Sean Spicer tweeted, within minutes of the AP report. The AP obtained an 11-page memo drafted by the…