Politics Ex-CIA chief has "a lot of confidence" in security at inauguration

Former CIA Director Michael Hayden said he is confident law enforcement will be able to protect President-elect Biden at next week's inauguration. His comments come as security forces are facing scrutiny over rioters' ability to breach the U.S. Capitol.

© Mark Wilson / Getty Images Former CIA And NSA Director Gen Hayden Discusses Nat'l Security And Elections

Last week, Trump supporters who were seeking to overturn the election stormed the building where lawmakers were affirming the Electoral College vote, causing lawmakers to be evacuated. Five people, including a police officer, died as a result of the violence.

What we know about Biden’s inauguration plans

This year will feature pared-down festivities and beefed-up security.Under normal circumstances, thousands of people gather on the National Mall while the president-elect takes the oath of office on the West front of the Capitol, followed by a parade down Pennsylvania Avenue with thousands of military personnel representing each branch and, at night, an inaugural ball.

Sanders: Trump may pull ex - CIA directors' clearance. A decision to strip a former official of a security clearance would prove a striking use of presidential power. "Certainly, I can't have any confidence in the past, but I can have a lot of confidence in the present and the future, because it's

"I think Mike Pompeo will go down as one of the great secretary of states. And by the way, he just left North Korea, had a great meeting with Kim Jong Un, and got along with him really well, really great. So I have a lot of confidence in Rand, but I also have a great deal of confidence in Mike Pompeo."

Tall fencing and other barricades have been put up around the Capitol in wake of the destruction and thousands of National Guard troops are guarding the building.

When asked about the inauguration, Hayden said he was "worried," but added that "our forces are very, very good. So I have a lot of confidence in them."

Hayden, a retired general, served as the head of the CIA in the Bush and Obama administrations. He was also the director of the National Security Agency from 1999 to 2005.

Before the violence at the Capitol, inauguration officials had already made plans for a smaller event and urged people to stay home because of the coronavirus pandemic. Law enforcement is now anticipating further unrest during or leading up to Biden's inauguration.

Inauguration Day 2021: What now? Capitol riots, Trump supporter threats prompt safety concerns

The inauguration of a new president, set for Jan. 20, typically poses one of the most enormous security challenges. What does that mean after a riot?The inauguration of a new president, set for Jan. 20, typically poses one of the most enormous security challenges for the federal government and local police, as former presidents and foreign dignitaries gather to observe what – until Wednesday – represented the peaceful transfer of power at the very Capitol that was overrun.

Although the proportion of people who say they trust the government in Washington to do the right thing has steadily declined since the 1950's, it should be remembered that. The percentage of Americans who say that they have a lot of confidence in Congress is typically.

One of the most troubling developments in American politics, government, and media has been the loss of Fewer than two-in-10 have a lot of confidence in the financial industry, the national news media, Congress, and What’s more, just 33% of Americans have a lot of confidence in the CIA , and only

Mr. Biden appeared to have confidence in Capitol security in comments he made to reporters Monday. "I am not afraid of taking the oath outside," he said. The incoming president has been briefed by the FBI, Secret Service and members of his national security team about inauguration security concerns.

The incoming president's granddaughter Naomi Biden tweeted that she has the "utmost confidence" in Secret Service to protect her family.

"Every day for 8 years, I witnessed the tireless work of the men and women of @SecretService. They never once let us down. I have the utmost confidence in them and trust in their preparedness," she wrote.

Hayden also expressed concern about the future of the country after President Trump and his supporters sought to invalidate Mr. Biden's victory.

"I hope we're OK. I want to be OK. But I'm worried about it. I'm worried about it very much," Hayden said.