National Guard from the inauguration service removed its 12 members, including two for "inappropriate" remarks or messages, Pentagon spokesperson said.
"We have two individuals that were identified as making inappropriate comments or texts," said spokesperson Jonathan Hoffman.
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After the member's inappropriate remarks, the suspension took place to guard officers' attention by fellow troops. After an anonymous tip, another member was taken out, he said.
For suspicious conduct found in the screening process, the other 10 Guard members were dismissed, Hokanson said, stressing that this does not necessarily mean that they have links to extremists, but merely that they were "identified" and removed from service "out of an abundance of caution."
According to spokesman Major Aaron Thacker, the news comes as there are now nearly 25,000 National Guard troops on the ground in Washington, DC.
The capital of the country is on edge ahead of the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden. While much of Washington was shut down after the deadly January 6 riot at the US Capitol, defense officials have tried to reassure the public that the soldiers sent to secure the inauguration are being thoroughly vetted.
But two US officials said that it was found that all 12 expelled members had links to right-wing paramilitary groups or had extremist views shared online.
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They did not say which fringe party the National Guard members belonged to or what unit they served in, citing Pentagon rules, speaking to the press on condition of anonymity.
Pentagon spokesman Jonathon Hoffman reiterated that the vetting process is in place. "What the partner organizations have found, but much of the information is, as the general mentioned, unrelated to the events taking place at the Capitol or to concerns that many people on extremism. These are vetting efforts that identify any questionable behavior in the past, or any potential link to questionable behavior, not just related to extremism," he said.
Earlier Tuesday, a defense official reported to CNN that two members of the Army National Guard were removed from inauguration duty as part of the security screening process.
The Associated Press was the first to announce that it had fired the two guards.
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Efforts to find and eradicate extremism within the military ranks, particularly among those who embrace white supremacist views, started long before the Capitol riot of this month. Still, in the days after, they have taken on increased urgency.
The strengthened screening steps come as tens of thousands of members of the National Guard patrol the streets of the nation's capital ahead of Inauguration Day. The Pentagon's maximum number for security around the inauguration is the 25,000 National Guard members currently in the nation's capital.
Over the passing days, the numbers have increased as troops have arrived from other areas of the world.
