January 13, 2021

National Guard Members Flood the Capitol as Congress Votes to Impeach

The jarring photos included troops sleeping on the floor to protect Congress before lawmakers convened.

Gripas Yuri/ZUMA

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As the House convened to vote to impeach President Trump for a second time, surreal photos emerged on Wednesday revealing a Capitol flooded with National Guard troops on high alert after pro-Trump rioters unleashed violence on the Capitol last week. Striking images showed many sleeping on the floor ahead of the vote with their weapons close by—a chilling reminder of the recent violence that shook the nation to its core. 

Later, with Wednesday’s proceedings underway, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi stood outside the Capitol building facing rows of National Guard members and thanked them for their service.

Today’s historic vote comes amid questions about safety at the Capitol, the failure of Capitol police to intervene in the riot, and the security of the upcoming inauguration. Democrats have also raised concerns about their own safety as some Republicans insist on bringing firearms to the building, while other Republicans have expressed concern for their safety if they vote to impeach.

Pelosi was also seen giving National Guard members challenge pins, a symbol of both commitment and camaraderie.

DONALD TRUMP & DEMOCRACY

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DONALD TRUMP & DEMOCRACY

Mother Jones was founded to do things differently in the aftermath of a political crisis: Watergate. We stand for justice and democracy. We reject false equivalence. We go after, and go deep on, stories others don’t. And we’re a nonprofit newsroom because we knew corporations and billionaires would never fund the journalism we do. Our reporting makes a difference in policies and people’s lives changed.

And we need your support like never before to vigorously fight back against the existential threats American democracy and journalism face. We’re running behind our online fundraising targets and urgently need all hands on deck right now. We can’t afford to come up short—we have no cushion; we leave it all on the field.

Please help with a donation today if you can—even just a few bucks helps. Not ready to donate but interested in our work? Sign up for our Daily newsletter to stay well-informed—and see what makes our people-powered, not profit-driven, journalism special.

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