The National Guard disputed rumors that some troops deployed to secure the inauguration intentionally turned their back on President Biden as his motorcade passed through Washington, D.C.

“These National Guardsmen were on duty with a mission to protect the president against potential threats,” Capt. Tinashe Machona, a spokeswoman for the D.C. National Guard, told Stars and Stripes. “Some are facing out to ensure the safety of all.”

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