Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) says he finds it “offensive” for the FBI to examine members of the National Guard, including those in Texas, in Washington ahead of the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden on Wednesday.
“No one should ever question the loyalty or professionalism of the Texas National Guard,” Abbott wrote in a tweet Monday night.
There are approximately 25,000 members of the National Guard in Washington to secure the inauguration, including about 1,000 from Texas, in response to the deadly January 6 uprising at the U.S. Capitol.
Abbott wrote that he would not deploy the Texas National Guard back to Washington if they were examined before the inauguration.
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 within their ranks as they approach the inauguration.
So far, however, he and other leaders say they have seen no evidence of any threats, and officials said the investigation had not marked any known problems.
In a situation like this, the FBI review would involve directing people’s names through databases and watch lists maintained by the office to see if anything alarming appears, according to The Associated Press. This could include involvement in previous investigations or terrorism-related concerns, said David Gomez, a former FBI national security supervisor in Seattle.