Skip to comments.
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
Posted on 06/06/2020 3:32:35 PM PDT by 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:
![](https://i.imgur.com/S9kbWU9.png)
[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
(Excerpt) Read more at breitbart.com ...
TOPICS: Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: billbarr; districtofcolumbia; esper; jonathanhoffman; markesper; murielbowser; nationalguard; newjersey; ohio; qhats; quehts; sessionshats; trustthehats; washdcriots
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 41-60, 61-80, 81-100 ... 121-130 next last
To: amihow
61
posted on
06/06/2020 4:03:47 PM PDT
by
timestax
To: ransomnote
62
posted on
06/06/2020 4:04:24 PM PDT
by
cherry
To: Pollster1
If they’re going to do this they might as well hire all the former Kmart security guards they can. I’m sure some are available.
To: timestax
When I first heard this story I was upset. I thought Esper and Trump were backing down. However, after thinking it through, it is really smart. The best thing to happen for the rioters/Democrats is for the police/military to shoot protestors. In tense, heated and inflamed situations mistakes can be made. By disarming the military, they have eliminated the possibility of rioters being killed or wounded. The military will look like the good guys by protecting our monuments. The rioters will trash DC and make themselves look like the thugs they are.
To: mass55th
65
posted on
06/06/2020 4:08:02 PM PDT
by
Osage Orange
(Mar's isn't a place to raise your kid...)
To: mass55th
66
posted on
06/06/2020 4:11:25 PM PDT
by
Osage Orange
(Mar's isn't a place to raise your kid...)
To: AdmSmith; AnonymousConservative; Arthur Wildfire! March; Berosus; Bockscar; cardinal4; ColdOne; ...
67
posted on
06/06/2020 4:13:57 PM PDT
by
SunkenCiv
(Imagine an imaginary menagerie manager imagining managing an imaginary menagerie.)
To: CalWildcat
It is NOT smart for the men’s heads to be exposed when the ‘protestors’ are throwing all kinds of dangerous stuff at them.
68
posted on
06/06/2020 4:17:52 PM PDT
by
Jamestown1630
("A Republic, if you can keep it.")
To: ransomnote
IF this is TRUE, ESPER NEEDS TO BE FIRED ON MONDAY!! WHAT A GIRLY GUY!
69
posted on
06/06/2020 4:24:59 PM PDT
by
Ann Archy
(Abortion....... The HUMAN Sacrifice to the god of Convenience.)
To: ransomnote
Maybe he’ll have KNEEL BEFORE BLM THUGS!
70
posted on
06/06/2020 4:25:40 PM PDT
by
Ann Archy
(Abortion....... The HUMAN Sacrifice to the god of Convenience.)
To: ransomnote
Watch Trump drop him like he did Mattis.
71
posted on
06/06/2020 4:26:27 PM PDT
by
ThePatriotsFlag
(Remember: >>>>> o b a M A G A t e <<<<<)
To: Jamestown1630
Beta dogs roll over and show their bellies to alpha dogs in a show of subsevience.
How is this different?
72
posted on
06/06/2020 4:29:56 PM PDT
by
Eagles6
To: ransomnote
Every story says they were peaceful...until they're not.
Largely peaceful...except for the violence.
73
posted on
06/06/2020 4:33:13 PM PDT
by
Eagles6
To: USS Alaska
Name some blinks?
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
How about the Colossal blunder that started this whole thing rolling?
Jeff Sessions!
Only fired after all the major damage has been done. And Barr seems more of the same. Complete jokes for a president who calls himself the law and order president. The lesson still has not been learned and the overthrow of the government is continuing.
For the sake of argument do you think he will fire at Esper? Will you consider that a ‘blink’ if Trump tweets like hell and does nothing?
74
posted on
06/06/2020 4:40:12 PM PDT
by
bramps
(It's the Islam, stupid!)
To: bramps
Name some blinks?
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
How about the Colossal blunder that started this whole thing rolling?
Jeff Sessions!
Only fired after all the major damage has been done. And Barr seems more of the same. Complete jokes for a president who calls himself the law and order president. The lesson still has not been learned and the overthrow of the government is continuing.
For the sake of argument do you think he will fire at Esper? Will you consider that a blink if Trump tweets like hell and does nothing?
Yes, how about Sessions. You seem to have forgotten that POTUS floated the idea of firing him. And what happened? His party controlling the United States Senate publicly threatened POTUS and told him not to fire Sessions because they would not confirm a replacement.
We don’t elect a king. What you are seeing now a POTUS without the support of his own party and sometimes it can be ugly.
75
posted on
06/06/2020 4:45:30 PM PDT
by
lodi90
To: july4thfreedomfoundation
Of course—the President can appoint an acting person for any politically appointed position.
They are normally not supposed to serve more than six months.
After six months the President can appoint another acting person if he wishes..
etc etc
Needless to say, the National Guard should have maximum needed protection.
Any Defense Secretary who believes otherwise should be fired on the spot.
76
posted on
06/06/2020 4:46:00 PM PDT
by
cgbg
(New poll: post elderly voters like Biden's experience as Wilson's VP fighting the Spanish Flu.)
To: Jamestown1630
Yes, they should wear helmets.
To: july4thfreedomfoundation
Another member of the deep state
To: mass55th
Les Aspin. Absolutely! What I could write in paragraphs,one name sums it up. To bad so many are idiots to not know the reference. Before someone wants to bust my nuts about apples and oranges,MP units were sent to Somalia with asinine rules of engagement and zero support aka sitting ducks.
79
posted on
06/06/2020 4:51:29 PM PDT
by
shanover
(...To disarm the people is the best and most effectual way to enslave them.-S.Adams)
To: CalWildcat
Kids arent supposed to ride bicycles without helmets these days. Surely, they should be standard for riot control.
The rioters will know that the Guardsmen are unarmed and helmet-less and will throw things at them. Seems pretty obvious.
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 41-60, 61-80, 81-100 ... 121-130 next last
Disclaimer:
Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual
posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its
management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the
exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson