Two National Guard members removed from inauguration security mission

January 19, 2021January 19, 2021 WKXA

MivPiv/iStockBy LUIS MARTINEZ, ABC News

(WASHINGTON) — Two Army National Guard members have been removed from the inauguration security mission after vetting found they had ties to far-right fringe groups, a U.S. official told ABC News Tuesday.

The two Guard members are among the 25,000 National Guard troops who have been sent to Washington to augment security at the inauguration in the wake of the violent Jan. 6 assault on the U.S. Capitol.

The two Guardsmen were removed from the mission after vetting conducted by the FBI determined they had ties to far-right extremist groups, the U.S. official said.

No details were immediately available about which State Guard units the two belonged to or about the nature of of the alleged ties.

“Due to operational security, we do not discuss the process nor the outcome of the vetting process for military members supporting the inauguration,” said a National Guard statement that referred additional questions to the Secret Service.

Every single one of the 25,000 Guardsmen now in D.C. has been vetted by the FBI that carries out background checks as part of the credentialing process, officials said.