Sen. Cotton: Time to Send Troops Guarding Capitol Home

It is time to send National Guard troops who continue to guard the Capitol home, as there is no evidence of a threat that justifies their continued presence, said Sen. Tom Cotton after reports revealed that the soldiers could remain deployed in Washington, D.C., until this fall. 

"I'm not aware of any threat to justify the continued presence today around the Capitol, much less into the fall," the Arkansas Republican said on Fox News' "Fox and Friends" Monday. "If Joe Biden comes to the Capitol and gives a joint session speech in the next few weeks, as new presidents tend to do, obviously there [would be] an increased security posture at that time. Congress isn't even in session this week."

He added that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has a "lot of questions" to answer about what she knew leading up to the rioting that took place on Jan. 6, and she must justify why troops must stay at the Capitol. 

"There was a clear failure by the security leaders on Capitol Hill to prepare for Jan. 6," Cotton said. "The officers of the Capitol Police performed bravely, [but] they are right to have no confidence in their leadership."

Cotton also responded to demands from the Sierra Club and the American Civil Liberties Union to bring down former President Donald Trump's wall at the border. 

"The simple fact is, as everyone knows, walls work," said Cotton. "In fact, Nancy Pelosi erected a wall around the people's Capitol and has one up to this day even though the security threat doesn't justify it."

The Biden administration has stopped construction, he added, but "to tear down a wall that currently exists that is stopping border crossings would be the height of insanity."

Cotton further responded to a Gallup poll showing 63% of Republicans are open to a third-party referendum. 

"The Republican Party is and always has been the home of conservatives in this country, and if we want to have a conservative center-right in government, we need a strong Republican Party that welcomes all comers," said Cotton. "Obviously we lost some voters as well over the last four years. We need to win those voters back. The way we do that is to stand up for America."

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