WASHINGTON (NewsNation Now) — The Secret Service will begin a National Special Security Event early for the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden and President Donald Trump has approved an emergency declaration for the District of Columbia.
This comes after a deadly riot at the U.S. Capitol and the FBI warning of plans for armed protests at all 50 state capitals and in Washington in the days leading up to Biden’s inauguration.
The special designation for increased security was scheduled to go into effect on Jan. 19, but will now go into effect on Wednesday, the day the U.S. House of Representatives is scheduled to consider a second impeachment against President Donald Trump.
The decision was announced Monday afternoon by Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf, who announced his resignation shortly after the announcement.
“In light of events of the past week and the evolving security landscape leading up to the inauguration and at the recommendation of Secret Service Director James Murray, I have instructed the U.S. Secret Service to begin the National Special Security Event operations for the 2021 Inauguration effective Wednesday, January 13th instead of January 19th. Our federal, state, and local partners will continue to coordinate their plans and position resources for this important event.”
Acting Secretary of Homeland Security
Later on Monday evening, President Trump approved an Emergency Declaration for the District of Columbia.
Today, President Donald J. Trump declared that an emergency exists in the District of Columbia and ordered Federal assistance to supplement the District’s response efforts due to the emergency conditions resulting from the 59th Presidential Inauguration from January 11 to January 24, 2021.
The White House
The President’s action authorizes the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), to coordinate all disaster relief efforts which have the purpose of alleviating the hardship and suffering caused by the emergency on the local population, and to provide appropriate assistance for required emergency measures, authorized under Title V of the Stafford Act, to save lives and to protect property and public health and safety, and to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe in the District of Columbia.
Specifically, FEMA is authorized to identify, mobilize, and provide at its discretion, equipment and resources necessary to alleviate the impacts of the emergency. Emergency protective measures, limited to direct Federal assistance, will be provided at 100 percent Federal funding.
Pete Gaynor, Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Department of Homeland Security, named Thomas J. Fargione as the Federal Coordinating Officer for Federal recovery operations in the affected area.