Defense Secretary overruled Army recommendation to reduce number of National Guard troops at Capitol

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's decision to keep nearly 2,300 National Guard troops on Capitol Hill security duty through May 23 came after the secretary decided against an Army recommendation that less than half that number was actually needed to support US Capitol Police.

Three defense officials confirm that Austin reviewed the lower option to keep fewer than 1,000 troops but ultimately decided to give the Capitol Police the full amount of troops they had asked for. "There was a discussion" about approving less than 1,000 troops one defense official told CNN. The Army oversees the DC National Guard and has taken a lead role in the deployment of guard forces. There are currently about 4,300 troops operating in and around Capitol Hill and without the extension they would have been scheduled to leave Washington on March 12. Fox News was first to report that Austin decided against the Army recommendation.