The Army plans to extend the Washington, DC National Guard’s deployment in DC through November 30 amid a lawsuit from the DC Attorney General to end the deployment, officials say.
Brigadier General Leland D. Blanchard II, the DC National Guard’s interim commanding general, signaled earlier on Thursday in a video statement that the duties would be extended to “ensure that everyone that walks through these city streets is safe.”
“Our mission is not complete,” he said, adding that the people of Washington, the troops, and all Americans “deserve” a safe capital.
WATCH:
Blanchard: Capital guardians, I want to take a few moments to speak to you about the mission. First, let me tell you how proud I am of you. At every turn you’ve been professional, respectful and displayed the courtesy, discipline, and just flat out the best of what we have to offer. I can’t say enough about what I’ve seen. Thank you for that. Thank you to the families who are also making sacrifices, but we also know that our mission is not complete.
I’ve made the decision to extend the encampment as we continue to work to ensure that everyone that walks through these city streets is safe. They deserve that you deserve that, our nation deserves that. Thank you to all of our soldiers and airmen. Thank you to the families. Thank you to our employers. Without you, we couldn’t do this. Capital guardians, always ready, always there.
Per ABC:
President Donald Trump could still cut the mission shorter than Nov. 30 if desired — or extend the deployment past that date, the officials noted. That essentially leaves the deployment open-ended for now.
Army Secretary Dan Driscoll signed off on the plan on Wednesday, enabling Brig. Gen. Leland D. Blanchard II, commanding general of the D.C. National Guard, to update the initial orders.
The Nov. 30 plan for the estimated 950 members of the D.C. Guard, which has not been previously reported, does not apply to the other 1,300 troops deployed to D.C. from other states, including Louisiana, Mississippi, Ohio, Tennessee, South Carolina, and West Virginia. Those troops remain under the control of their governors with many of them already under orders to remain through the end of December, one of the officials said.
The decision to extend the Guard through Nov. 30 was a practical one, sources told ABC News. Instead of reupping orders every 14 to 29 days as is typical, the troops can plan on the extended stay.
National Guard troops in Washington, DC, have provided much-needed safety and protection for residents and tourists by simply being there. In high traffic tourist areas with bars and restaurants like Logan Circle or in Metro stations, Guardsmen are giving people an added sense of security, where they previously would need to fear being mugged or assaulted by a teen, or harassed by a drugged-out bum.
According to ABC, they have also assisted with the beautification of DC, cleaned roadways and neighborhoods, and assisted the National Park Service’s improvement of DC parks.
However, as The Gateway Pundit reported on Thursday, far-left DC Attorney General Brian Schwalb filed a lawsuit against Trump, the Department of Defense, the Department of Justice, the US Marshals Service, and the United States Army to end the deployment.
His lawsuit argues that the troops are actually “putting public safety at risk.”
The case was assigned to Biden-appointed Judge Jia Cobb.
The post JUST IN: Trump Admin Extends National Guard’s Deployment on DC Streets Through November 30 – General Leland Blanchard: “Our Mission is Not Complete” (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.