On Friday, the Utah National Guard confirmed that 200 service members are being kicked out of hotels in Washington, D.C. as Mayor Muriel Bowers battles with President Trump over the handling of the George Floyd protests in the city.
Bowser, who wants all non-D.C. troops out of the city, blamed the National Guard relocation on a budget issue and said the city will not pay for the accommodations — amid days of protests over racial injustice, some of which have been violent, Fox News reported.
“Last night, we were informed that our service members would be relocated from their hotel rooms,” the Utah National Guard said in a statement Friday.
“It has been heartbreaking for our Utah National Guard service members to witness the pain, suffering, and frustration in our communities across the nation,” the National Guard added. “The Utah National Guard has been supporting civil authorities with our top priority of protecting lives as well as preserving property and critical infrastructure in our nation’s capital.”
The Commander in Chief slammed Bowser over the issue on Friday on Twitter.
President Trump tweeted: “The incompetent Mayor of Washington, D.C., [Mayor Bowser], who’s [sic] budget is totally out of control and is constantly coming back to us for ‘handouts’, is now fighting with the National Guard, who saved her from great embarrassment over the last number of nights. If she doesn’t treat these men and women well, then we’ll bring in a different group of men and women!” Continued Below
Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) also took to Twitter to say: “If media reports are accurate, the decision by the Mayor of DC to cancel hotel accommodations for members of the Utah National Guard — who were deployed to restore order — is beyond outrageous.”
“I will do everything possible to push back against this outrage against the men and women of our National Guard. They left their homes and businesses in Utah to protect homes and businesses in our nation’s Capital. The Mayor of DC should thank them — not evict them!” he expressed.
“Federal taxpayer dollars come from all 50 states to help DC. Why should we continue to provide federal funding to an entity who refuses to allow lawfully assembled National Guardsmen a place to sleep?” Senator Graham wondered. Continued Below
In a statement Friday afternoon, Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) said: “Evicting Utah National Guard personnel from their hotels after a late-night shift risking their lives to protect Washington is a shameful, petty, discrediting decision by Mayor Bowser.”
“Our Utah guardsmen are consummate professionals who are not complaining in the slightest. But their labor and sacrifice on behalf of Washingtonians deserves better than this embarrassing spectacle. If Mayor Bowser has a problem with President Trump she should take it up with him, not take it out on National Guard personnel in the middle of a dangerous deployment in her city,” Sen. Lee added.
The 200 Utah National Guard specialists, who were deployed to Washington on short notice earlier this week, finished their all-night Thursday shift protecting D.C. at 3 am on Friday. They were forced out of their hotel by 11 am. They have another shift Friday evening at 6 pm until 2 am Saturday morning, according to Senator Lee’s press release.
He also tweeted: “Just heard that Mayor Bowser is kicking the Utah National Guard out of all DC hotels tomorrow. More than 1200 troops from 10 states are being evicted. This is unacceptable. These brave men and women have risked their lives protecting DC for three days. Rioting, looting, arson, and vandalism have all disappeared bc these soldiers served. And now they are being kicked to the curb by an ungrateful mayor. This must be stopped.” Video Below
Lucas Tomlinson reports:
President Donald Trump’s official tweet:
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1268966947938590721?s=20
Continued Below
Senator Lindsey Graham’s official tweets:
If media reports are accurate, the decision by the Mayor of DC to cancel hotel accommodations for members of the Utah National Guard — who were deployed to restore order — is beyond outrageous.
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) June 5, 2020
Federal taxpayer dollars come from all 50 states to help DC.
Why should we continue to provide federal funding to an entity who refuses to allow lawfully assembled National Guardsmen a place to sleep?
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) June 5, 2020
Senator Mike Lee’s official tweet and press release:
Just heard that Mayor Bowser is kicking the Utah National Guard out of all DC hotels tomorrow. More than 1200 troops from 10 states are being evicted. This is unacceptable. 1/2
— Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) June 5, 2020
These brave men and women have risked their lives protecting DC for three days. Rioting, looting, arson, and vandalism have all disappeared bc these soldiers served. And now they are being kicked to the curb by an ungrateful mayor. This must be stopped. 2/2 pic.twitter.com/YYyctKvUqN
— Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) June 5, 2020
If Mayor Bowser has a problem with President Trump she should take it up with him, not take it out on National Guard personnel in the middle of a dangerous deployment in her city. https://t.co/0HATQaeNXE
— Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) June 5, 2020
