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Why is National Guard still in DC? Rick Scott slammed for wanting them gone: 'He wants the capital vulnerable'

QAnon believes that Trump will be sworn in again as president on March 4. With the fear of violence on the date, Capitol police requested 4,900 National Guard members to stay in the city till March 12

A Senate Homeland Security and Rules joint hearing took place on Tuesday, February 23, about the attack on the Capitol on January 6. The hearing was aimed at examining the security failures that led to the Capitol complex's breach. Amid this Republican Senator Rick Scott asked why the National Guard was still deployed in Washington DC. During the joint congressional hearing, Scott asked this of three former congressional security officials and the acting chief of DC's Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) but got no response. After a brief silence, he again asked, "No one has any idea why we have the National Guard here?" 

To that, former US Capitol police chief Steven Sund replied "They (officials now in charge) were just concerned about possible violent extremists regrouping and staging another attack on the Capitol." However, acting MPD chief Robert Contee never said that he had received any new intelligence requiring the Guards' presence in the city. 5,000 National Guard members are still deployed in DC, down from the 25,000 deployed during the inauguration of President Joe Biden. The lack of credible threats or public information left Scott "flabbergasted" as to the presence of the DC police. 

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QAnon believes Trump will return on March 4

The only threat to the city comes from a QAnon conspiracy currently making its way around the Internet. People believe that Trump will be sworn in again as president on March 4. The bizarre conspiracy theory believes that all presidents since Ulysses S Grant were illegitimate since he was the last to be sworn in on March 4. Since the 20th Amendment in 1933, all presidents have been sworn in on January 20. 

That has believers clinging on to hope that Trump will be sworn in as America's 19th president. This theory is reportedly being led by members of the Sovereign Citizen movement. With the fear of violence on the date, Capitol police requested 4,900 National Guard members to stay in the city till March 12. 

Whether or not QAnon followers will descend on the city, Washington DC is ready. And it appears Trump is too. The Trump International Hotel near the White House has increased its room rates to over $1,000 for the day, almost doubling in cost. Right now, there is no confirmation that QAnon followers will come to DC. Adam Smith, Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee told defense officials "Stuff like that circulates all the time, does it mean it's going to happen, probably not."

'Is Rick Scott trying to clear the way for the next insurrection?'

Without concrete proof of violence on the day, Scott can be forgiven for asking the question. According to CNN, Robert Salesses, the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense and Global Security, said there was "no specific, credible threat to the homeland at this time." So is Scott right? According to Twitter, maybe not. One user pointed out "There is NO WAY Scott doesn’t know. This is public domain." on the QAnon theory.

Another user theorized that " So why is Rick Scott so concerned with the Capitol fencing being gone whne he gets driven right to the front door? Maybe he's worried about some of his Florida insurrectionists and Sunshine State Nazis being inconvenienced?" Another asked, "Did it sound to anyone else like Sen Rick Scott of Florida was trying to have the National Guard removed from the Capitol? Is he trying to clear the way for the next insurrection?" One said: "Seriously? Rick Scott just wanted to know why the National Guard is at the Capital to protect it now? He *complained* that the National Guard has been protecting the Capital for MONTHS now. FACT: The DJT INSURRECTION was only 6 WEEKS ago! Scott wants the Capital VULNERABLE?"

Another queried: "Why is Rick Scott so eager to get rid of the National Guard in DC? Does he have “friends” waiting to come in and riot some more?"

Whether or not the threat is true, the Guard will remain in DC as a precautionary measure. Many Republicans have publicly questioned why the Guard is in the city, especially with the estimated costs of around $4833 million according to the Pentagon. 

These remarks were made by the Internet and individual organizations, MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and nor does it support these claims being made on the Internet.