In a move that raises questions about what is not being reported, the Army general who heads the District of Columbia National Guard is being removed from command immediately after Donald Trump officially takes office.
Maj. Gen. Errol R. Schwartz has been ordered to step down at 12:01 p.m. on January 20, just after Trump is sworn in, according to The Washington Post.
Commanding general of D.C. National Guard to be removed from post https://t.co/twxcP5cpfU
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) January 13, 2017
The head of the D.C. National Guard serves at the pleasure of the president. Schwartz, who is being replaced in the middle of the presidential ceremony, told the newspaper “the timing is very unusual.”
Security is at a heightened level because of the inauguration and Guard troops from the District and other states will be actively providing support.
“My troops will be on the street,” Schwartz explained. “I’ll see them off, but I won’t be able to welcome them back to the armory.”
As for the reasoning behind the move, it seems the general, classified as a “non-career status employee,” according to the Defense Department, has bigger problems with the U.S. Army than with Trump.
More from The Post:
Military officials and Trump transition officials provided contradictory versions of the decision to replace Schwartz. As is customary for presidential appointees, the general submitted a letter of resignation to give the new administration a clean start.
Two military officials with knowledge of the situation said the Trump team decided to accept the resignation. A person close to the transition said transition officials wanted to keep Schwartz in the job for continuity, but the Army pushed to replace him.
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