Washington security soars as inauguration approaches | First Thing

Security has been ramped up in Washington ahead of Joe Biden's inauguration on Wednesday, with the FBI vetting all 25,000 National Guard troops stationed there. Plus, Trump attacks environmental protections for a final time

Good morning.

Joe Biden will be inaugurated as president on Wednesday, following a bitter and contested election that culminated in a siege on the Capitol earlier this month. In the wake of the violence, Washington has been forced to introduce security measures at a level not seen since the civil war, with thousands of troops and armoured cars guarding green" and red" zones, and a security fence still in place around the Capitol building. The FBI is vetting all 25,000 National Guard troops arriving in Washington for the inauguration amid concerns there could be an insider attack, with commanders warned to look out for problems in their ranks and guard members trained to identify potential threats among their peers.