[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] The U.S. Department of Defense announced that it has deployed active-duty Army troops to a military base near the capital, Washington DC. Although the Department of Defense emphasized that these forces will not be involved in riot control operations, the deployment is interpreted as a response to former President Donald Trump's remarks about the possible use of federal troops, which is expected to spark controversy.
On the 2nd (local time), the U.S. Department of Defense stated in a press release that 1,600 Army troops have been deployed to a military base near Washington DC. Jonathan Hoffman, spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Defense, said, "Military personnel are on alert at a military base near the National Capital Region (NCR). The Department of Defense has moved active-duty Army units closer to the capital in response to ongoing support for civilian military operations. The Secretary of Defense has relocated about 1,600 troops, including the 504th Infantry Battalion from Fort Bragg, North Carolina."
Some have suggested that these troops could be deployed if police forces and the National Guard in Washington DC are unable to handle protests alone, but the Department of Defense has drawn a clear line. Spokesperson Hoffman stated, "These troops are not deployed inside Washington DC and will not participate in civilian operations for protest response." Earlier, President Trump had indicated that he was considering invoking the Insurrection Act to deploy federal troops without state government requests if violent protests worsen.
Meanwhile, Mark Esper, U.S. Secretary of Defense, requested the deployment of the National Guard to maintain security in Washington DC, but it is reported that four states with Democratic governors?Virginia, New York, Pennsylvania, and Delaware?rejected this request.
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