Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R) says he finds it “offensive” that the FBI is examining members of the National Guard, including those from Texas, in Washington before President-elect Joe Biden took office on Wednesday.
“No one should question the Texas National Guard’s loyalty or professionalism,” Abbott wrote in a tweet on Monday night.
There are approximately 25,000 members of the National Guard in Washington to secure possession, including about 1,000 from Texas, in response to the deadly January 6 uprising on the US Capitol.
Abbott wrote that he would not send the Texas National Guard to Washington again if they were examined before taking office.
Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy told the Associated Press on Sunday that officials are aware of the potential threat and warned commanders to be on the lookout for any problems in their ranks as possession approaches.
So far, however, he and other leaders say they have seen no evidence of any threats, and officials said the investigation did not signal any problems they were aware of.
In a situation like this, the FBI check would involve running people’s names in databases and watch lists maintained by the bureau to see if something alarming was going on, according to the Associated Press. This could include involvement in previous investigations or concerns related to terrorism, said David Gomez, a former FBI national security supervisor in Seattle.