Defense Secretary Mark Esper Orders National Guard in D.C. to Disarm, Wear Soft Caps Instead of Helmets

breitbart.com ^ | June 6, 2020 | Kristina Wong

[ransomnote]

Defense Secretary Mark Esper on Friday ordered National Guard troops in Washington, DC, to disarm and wear soft caps instead of helmets, an official told Breitbart News on Friday afternoon.

The official said the president told Attorney General Bill Barr that he wanted the National Guard to be armed so that they could protect themselves from rioters and looters coming in to the city, but Esper on his own told the D.C. National Guard leadership to take the weapons of National Guardsmen who were coming in from other states.

“He’s not really on board with what the president is trying to do,” the official said.

The official said Esper also on his own directed the National Guard in D.C. to wear soft caps instead of helmets. Breitbart News queried the Pentagon chief spokesman Jonathan Hoffman on Friday afternoon, but he did not respond by deadline.

Photos on social media showed National Guardsmen in D.C. wearing soft caps:

[ransomnote: Twitter link]

The National Guard said in response to a query, “Guardsmen supporting the civil disturbance are unarmed.”

The move comes a day before there are expected to be hundreds of thousands of protesters taking part in demonstrations in Washington, DC, on Saturday.

Protests in recent days have been largely peaceful, but the president had fully-activated the National Guard in D.C. and requested help from other states after several days of looting, defacing national monuments, and the burnin of a historic church just one block away from the White House. Dozens of Secret Service agents were also injured. Violence was also engulfing other major cities across the nation.

MORE AT LINK

[ransomnote]

Mark Esper, doing his part to disarm the National Guard before the lefty protesters arrive to surround the White House.

[Howie66]

The UCMJ also applies to you Mr. Esper.

[Secret Agent Man]

this is insubordination of the lawful commander in chief

fireable offense

[july4thfreedomfoundation]

Esper should be fired and then shot for treason.

What a POS!

[Jamestown1630]

What? What possible purpose is there for them to wear ‘soft helmets’ unless you WANT them to appear more vulnerable?

This is insanity. Idiots on the streets have been throwing all sorts of things at these men.

[Hildy]

WTF?

[Dacula]

Don’t worry nothing will happen to him.

[ransomnote]

They want the nation’s capitol to look like it’s fallen to rioters so they can get photo ops, spin and panic the public and then beg for foreign “assistance” from our enemies.

[Hildy]

If anyone dies, the blood is on his hands. Putting troups there and then taking away their weapons and armor, seriously? Trump will not let this happen. It’s insane.

[originalbuckeye]

I have read that Esper should resign before going against the CIC. Why is Esper still there?

As Tucker put it, when describing the Police officers kneeling before the BLM crowd, ‘well, I guess we know who is really in charge’. Trump shouldn’t accept being overridden by Esper. I hope the National Guard is safe, but you never know when Leftist terrorists/agitators are around.

[Equine1952]

Just put him without body guards on point. He’ll get religion. You want a transfer? Ok. You’re on point.

[mass55th]

Les Aspin.

[metmom]

Great way to turn all the NG soldiers against dems and liberals, to demand that they put their lives at risk with no way to protect or defend themselves.

[sitetest]

If all hell breaks loose, there should be a ready lamppost for this turd.

[Jim Noble]

“Trump will not let this happen”

Other than firing Sally Yates in January 2017, when was the last time he punished insubordination?

[alstewartfan]

If even one guardsman is injured, Esper should be imprisoned as an accessory.

[tennmountainman]

If any of our NG are killed or badly injured, Trump must fire Esper.

[PghBaldy]

Esper probably realizes Trump would not be able to get a good Secretary of Defense through, given the rotten, spineless Senate we have.

[cranked]

“You’re fired!”

When?

[alstewartfan]

Sorry to say, Trump often seems to be the first to blink, after first blustering about a person or issue.