The Pentagon confirmed Tuesday night that about 1,600 active duty troops had been moved from Fort Bragg and Fort Drum to the Washington, DC area to assist civil authorities if needed.
No active duty forces have been deployed in DC as of now, but the “active duty elements are postured on military bases in the National Capitol Region,” said Pentagon Chief spokesman Jonathan Hoffman in a statement, describing the movement as a "prudent planning measure."
The troops “are on heightened alert status but remain under Title X authority and are not participating in defense support to civil authority operations,” Hoffman said.
CNN previously reported that troops from Fort Bragg were being moved in the DC area on Monday night.
President Donald Trump’s announcement Monday that he is ready to deploy the military to enforce order inside the United States has led to discomfort among some in the Pentagon, defense officials have told CNN.
Some Pentagon officials have tried to make a strong case that the situation does not yet call for deploying active duty troops unless state governors make a clear argument that such forces are needed.
"There is an intense desire for local law enforcement to be in charge," a defense official said, alluding to the laws that forbid the military from performing law enforcement roles inside the US.