Trump declares emergency in DC ahead of Biden inauguration

The outgoing president agreed to the declaration following a request from DC Mayor Muriel Bowser

Jan 11, 2021

President Donald Trump has declared an emergency in Washington, D.C. ahead of President-elect Joe Biden‘s inauguration, following the deadly Capitol riot on Jan. 6 that he helped incite.

Trump agreed to the declaration following a request from D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser to do so after the district was hit with tragedy last week when pro-Trump supporters stormed the Capitol building as members of the joint U.S. Congress gathered to certify Biden’s win against Trump in the 2020 presidential election.

Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (above) has asked Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf to cancel permits for demonstrations in the district “given the new threats from insurgent acts of domestic terrorists.” (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Biden will be sworn in as the 46th president of the United States on Jan. 20, however, following the deadly events of Jan. 6, there has been growing security concerns over the safety of inaugural participants and attendees.

President Trump’s move also comes after the U.S. House of Representatives, led by Democrats, released its resolution to impeach him. The article of impeachment charges Trump for inciting the Capitol riots that left five dead, including a Capitol police officer. Another Capitol police officer died days later by suicide, however, it’s not clear if it was connected to the riot.

The presidential action authorizes the Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to provide assistance for emergency actions under the Stafford Act, reports The Hill.

“Specifically, FEMA is authorized to identify, mobilize, and provide at its discretion, equipment and resources necessary to alleviate the impacts of the emergency,” the White House announced Monday. “Emergency protective measures, limited to direct Federal assistance, will be provided at 100 percent Federal funding.”

Trump has reportedly owned some blame in the Capitol Insurrection after several days of silence. The president reportedly acknowledged his role in the event to Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), according to Fox News. McCarthy, who agrees that Trump was responsible, revealed Trump’s contrition in a call with the House GOP Conference.

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) speaks at the weekly news conference on Capitol Hill on December 03, 2020 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)

Trump has for months falsely declared that he won the 2020 election, calling for his supporters not to “show weakness” on Wednesday in Washington D.C. The protests quickly turned violent as rioters overturned barricades in front of the Capitol and physically attacked police officers.

FBI and law enforcement agencies aren’t currently working to identify and arrest bad actors in Wednesday’s unprecedented Capitol siege. Rioters’ confessions on their social media pages are helping law enforcement find the culprits. However, there are more avenues to find those who participated in the deadly attack. There are reports authorities have begun placing some of the domestic terrorists on a no-fly list so they can’t come back to D.C. for the proposed next round of violent marches.

Intelligence and law enforcement officials are offering warnings leading up to the inauguration. They are urging people to stay away from state capitols and the U.S. Capitol in the lead up to the Joe Biden inauguration.

theGrio’s April Ryan and Keydra Manns contributed to this report.

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