National Guard troops head home after helping secure Biden inaugural

WASHINGTON (NewsNation Now) — Just days after President Joe Biden’s inauguration went off with only a handful of minor arrests and incidents, more than 15,000 National Guard members are preparing to leave Washington, D.C. and head home.

The National Guard Bureau said Thursday that of the nearly 26,000 Guard troops deployed to D.C. for the inaugural, just 10,600 remain on duty. The bureau said the Guard is helping states with coordination and the logistics so that troops can get home.

The Guard said that it may take several days to make all the arrangements to return the 15,000 home, but it should be complete in five to 10 days. Guard members will have to turn in equipment, make travel plans and go through COVID-19 screening.

Thousands of Guard troops from all across the country poured into D.C. by the planeload and busload late last week, in response to escalating security threats and fears of more rioting. Military aircraft crowded the runways at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, carrying Guard members into the region in the wake of the deadly Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.

National Guard troops continue to be deployed around the Capitol one day after the inauguration of President Joe Biden, Thursday, Jan. 21, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
National Guard troops continue to be deployed around the Capitol one day after the inauguration of President Joe Biden, Thursday, Jan. 21, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
National Guard troops continue to be deployed around the Capitol one day after the inauguration of President Joe Biden, Thursday, Jan. 21, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
U.S. National Guardsmen look on in Washington, DC, on January 20, 2021, ahead of the inauguration of US President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris. (Photo by Seth Herald / AFP) (Photo by SETH HERALD/AFP via Getty Images)
A National Guard stands at a road block near the Supreme Court ahead of President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration ceremony, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
WASHINGTON, DC – JANUARY 20: Members of the National Guard and law enforcement gather near the U.S. Capitol before the inauguration of U.S. President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris on January 20, 2021 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Nathan Howard/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC – JANUARY 20: Members of the National Guard stand on the National Mall near the U.S. Capitol before the inauguration of U.S. President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris on January 20, 2021 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Stephanie Keith/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC – JANUARY 20: Members of the National Guard wait to depart Union Station as the city remains under tight security during the presidential inauguration on January 20, 2021 in Washington, DC. Law enforcement and state officials are on high alert for potentially violent protests as Joe Biden is sworn in as the 46th president of the United States at today’s inauguration ceremony. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

Guard forces were scattered around the city, helping to secure the Capitol, monuments, Metro entrances and the perimeter of central D.C., which was largely locked down for several days leading up to Wednesday’s inaugural ceremony. The Guard said there were no security incidents reported involving the National Guard.

The U.S. Secret Service announced that the special security event for the inauguration officially ended at noon Thursday.

Some local law enforcement agencies have asked for continued assistance from the Guard, so roughly 7,000 troops are expected to stay in the region through the end of the month.

The National Guard was also activated and deployed to state capitols around the country in the days leading up to the inauguration following the FBI’s warning about potentially armed demonstrations. While small groups of protesters did gather at statehouses across the country, the day remained relatively peaceful with no reported violence.

Other statehouses increased security, limited public access inside statehouses and canceled legislative activity. California spent nearly $19 million for a week’s worth of high security around the state Capitol and other locations because of fears of civil unrest, officials said citing preliminary estimates Thursday.

In Washington, officials estimated at least $1.6 million has been spent by the state and the Washington State Patrol over the past two weeks in costs related to security at the state Capitol, and that number is expected to climb.