U.S. National Guard troops will be deployed both for counting the electoral votes on Jan. 6 and for the Trump inauguration on Jan. 20. “500 National Guardsmen will play a key role in supporting the counting and certification of electoral votes on Jan. 6th,” Pentagon Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh announced during a press briefing at the Pentagon yesterday. “The request for assistance, expected to be approved in the coming days, for the Presidential inauguration activities includes 7,800 National Guardsmen supporting security operations. It also includes some Title 10 forces [that is, regular active duty military—ed.] coming through USNORTHCOM to provide supplemental support to our interagency partners as needed.” Ceremonial troops will also be involved in the state funeral for President Jimmy Carter on Jan. 9.