Abbott Recalls Texas National Guard From D.C. After Photo Outrage

AUSTIN, TX — Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Friday asked for the return of Texas National Guard troops after photos circulating on social media showed soldiers laying in a Washington, D.C. parking garage sparked outrage.

"I have instructed Gen. Norris to order the return of the Texas National Guard to our state," Abbott wrote on Twitter. The governor referred to Major Gen. Tracy R. Norris, who is the current Adjutant General of the Texas National Guard.

Abbott expressed further outrage in a later tweet: "This is the most offensive thing I've ever heard," he wrote. "No one should ever question the loyalty or professionalism of the Texas National Guard. @TexasGuard. I authorized more than 1,000 to go to D.C. I'll never do it again if they are disrespected like this."

According to media reports, members of the National Guard were asked to vacate U.S. Capitol property after being deployed to help secure the area for the inauguration of President Joe Biden on Wednesday. Troops reportedly were welcomed back onto the property after the inaugural ceremony concluded, as Military Times reported.

In the aftermath of the initial eviction, however, photos of troops resting and sleeping on a nearby garage emerged on social media. Outrage ensued, and it was bipartisan.

U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, a Republican like Abbott, was among those taking umbrage at the soldiers' ad hoc rest area. “WRONG… And needs to be corrected immediately," Cruz wrote on Twitter, using all capital letters for added effect.

Cruz expounded in a subsequent tweet: "Earlier this evening my staff reached out to @TexasGuard leaders to make sure #TX Guardsmen are okay & that they're being taken care of while serving in our Nation's capital. This should NEVER have been an issue, but glad to hear they have been welcomed back inside the Capitol."

Scott Braddock, editor of the Quorum Report, questioned the GOP outrage. "Maybe I missed it," he wrote on Twitter, "but I don't remember Gov. Greg Abbott's outrage when DPS [Texas Department of Public Safety] troopers and National Guard were sleeping in the Texas Capitol this past summer and Capitol staffers were donating their own money to buy supplies for them."

Yet the outrage was bipartisan in nature, with similar criticism coming from such Democratic figures as U.S. Senate Majority leader Chuck Schumer, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth from Illinois among others. President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden also were disapproving of the soldiers' temporary quarters, the latter taking the troops cookies as an added gesture as multiple media outlets reported.

In a telephone conversation with Patch, National Guard spokesman Wayne V. Hall said such ad hoc resting spots are not uncommon for deployed troops. However, he stressed all troops were provided with full-fledged lodging accommodations at hotels in the nation's capital.

"Photos have circulated showing National Guard troops resting in the Capitol building," Hall followed up in an email. "This area of the Capitol has been designated a rest area for National Guard members when they are on duty but between shifts. To be clear, this not where they are lodging when off-duty. Being present is the first step in ensuring the safety of our citizens and our nation’s Capital. Our security personnel work in shifts and rest when they can as others stand watch."