Dozen U.S. National Guard removed from inaugural duty after vetting
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A dozen members of the U.S. National Guard have been removed from duty helping secure the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden after vetting, which included screening for potential ties to right-wing extremism, Pentagon officials said on Tuesday.
A Pentagon spokesman said the vetting went beyond ties to extremist groups. One Guard member was removed from duty after troubling text messages and another had been reported to a tip line, Army General Daniel Hokanson, chief of the National Guard Bureau, told reporters.
(Reporting by Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)
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