WASHINGTON – Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin placed 100 National Guard troops on standby to help protect the Capitol ahead of Saturday’s rally supporting people charged in the deadly Jan. 6 pro-Trump insurrection. Hundreds of far-right demonstrators are expected in the District of Columbia for the “Justice For J6” rally, a reference to the Jan. 6 storming of the U.S. Capitol by supporters of former President Donald Trump in an attempt to disrupt the confirmation of Joe Biden as the next president. The 100 National Guard troops will only deploy upon the request of the Capitol Police and will help man entry points to the Capitol complex, a Pentagon spokesman said Friday. The spokesman added that the troops will only be used after local, state and federal law enforcement capabilities have been tapped.
