Trump Orders Head of DC National Guard to Resign at 12:01 PM Inauguration Day – as His Troops Are Protecting Thousands
‘My Troops Will Be on the street…I’ll See Them Off but I Won’t Be Able to Welcome Them Back’
The head of the District Of Columbia’s National Guard, Maj. Gen. Errol R. Schwartz, has been ordered to tender his resignation effective 12:01 PM on Inauguration Day. Because D.C. is not a state the president is responsible for naming the officer who heads the district’s national guard unit. Talking Points Memo reports “Donald Trump has demanded” Schwartz step down at that time.
What is extraordinarily odd is Maj. Schwartz, whose official title is Commanding General of the Militia of the District of Columbia National Guard, Washington, District of Columbia, and has been in that post since June of 2008, will literally be in the middle of protecting some of the tens or hundreds of thousands of people expected on the streets of Washington, D.C. During the inauguration and subsequent parade, when he will have to step down and turn his command over to someone appointed by Donald Trump.
Schwartz, who began his military career in 1979, told The Washington Post, the “timing is extremely unusual.”
“My troops will be on the street,†Schwartz, 65, said. “I’ll see them off but I won’t be able to welcome them back to the armory.†He said that he would “never plan to leave a mission in the middle of a battle.â€
Trump and his transition team appear to have blindly ordered most if not all presidential political appointees to resign immediately upon his swearing in, or have not asked them to stay until they are replaced. It is custom that presidential appointees tender their resignations effective January 20, when a new president is sworn in, but usually many are asked to stay in their positions until they are replaced – especially those with highly sensitive jobs.
For example, the Trump transition team did not ask the two civilian heads of a little-known agency that is responsible for ensuring America’s nuclear arms are secure, to stay in their posts. Those jobs will be unfilled the moment Trump is sworn in.
There appears to be a strong intention to ensure that no Obama appointees remain in place whatsoever. Overseas ambassadors often are either asked to stay or ask to stay until their children finish the school year. All those requests were denied outright by the Trump team, with no consideration for family needs.
Schwartz says he was not told why he was ordered to step down. The Washington Post did obtain the memo sent to him confirming the order.
You can respond directly to the Trump Transition Team by sending your comments to them on Twitter: @Transition2017 or to Donald Trump directly @RealDonaldTrump
(Why are we including this information?)
To comment on this article and other NCRM content, visit our Facebook page. To contact NCRM directly you can email us.
Image via National Guard
Â

Enjoy this piece?
… then let us make a small request. The New Civil Rights Movement depends on readers like you to meet our ongoing expenses and continue producing quality progressive journalism. Three Silicon Valley giants consume 70 percent of all online advertising dollars, so we need your help to continue doing what we do.
NCRM is independent. You won’t find mainstream media bias here. From unflinching coverage of religious extremism, to spotlighting efforts to roll back our rights, NCRM continues to speak truth to power. America needs independent voices like NCRM to be sure no one is forgotten.
Every reader contribution, whatever the amount, makes a tremendous difference. Help ensure NCRM remains independent long into the future. Support progressive journalism with a one-time contribution to NCRM, or click here to become a subscriber. Thank you. Click here to donate by check.
![]() |