President Joe Biden has apologized after troops in the National Guard stationed at the US Capitol were seen in images sleeping in a parking lot, the BBC reports.
Over 25,000 troops were deployed to Washington DC for Biden's inauguration after the deadly Capitol riot on January 6.
Pictures surfaced the day after the inauguration, in which a number of National Guard members were seen resting in a parking lot.
Per the BBC, some politicians expressed anger at the conditions the troops were forced to ensure.
Some state governors including Ron DeSantis, Chris Sununu, Greg Gianforte, and Greg Abbott said that they were bringing their National Guard troops back from Washington, D.C., after seeing images of them in the parking garage.
As reported by the BBC, Biden called the chief of the National Guard Bureau on January 22 to apologize and ask what could be done.
First Lady Jill Biden also visited some of the troops in order to thank them and brought cookies from the White House as a token of their appreciation.
Watch President Biden deliver his Inaugural Address:"I just wanted to come today to say thank you to all of you for keeping me and my family safe," she said, per the BBC.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez took to Twitter to share: "Yeah this is not okay. My office is free this week to any service members who’d like to use it for a break or take nap on the couch. We’ll stock up on snacks for you all too.
"(We’re in the middle of moving offices and it’s a bit messy so don’t judge, but make yourself at home!)"
Acting Capitol Police Chief Yogananda Pittman said in response to the controversy, per ABC News:
"I want to assure everyone that, with the exception of specific times on Inauguration Day itself while the swearing-in ceremonies were underway, the United States Capitol Police did not instruct the National Guard to vacate the Capitol Building facilities.
"And on Inauguration Day, the Guard was notified and encouraged to reoccupy the spaces in the Capitol and CVC at 2:00PM."
Pittman continued: "It was brought to our attention early today that facility management with the Thurgood Marshall Judicial Office Building reached out directly to the National Guard to offer use of its facilities."
