Ken Cuccinelli, the Department of Homeland Security’s acting deputy secretary, says the idea that President Trump would order a halt to the National Guard’s security mission for next week’s presidential inauguration of Joseph R. Biden is “unimaginable.” The deputy secretary also tells Scott Pelley DHS members swore an oath to the U.S. Constitution and “we have a statutory mission we’re going to perform under all circumstances.” Cuccinelli appears in a 60 Minutes report on security for the inauguration to be broadcast tonight at 7 p.m. ET/PT on CBS.
In an excerpt of the story which aired Sunday on “Face the Nation,” the report noted the dilemma that the security is commanded by President Trump, who encouraged the attack on the Capitol and has relentlessly worked to stop the inauguration of Joe Biden.
Below is a transcript of the interview clip seen in the excerpt.
Scott Pelley: Who does the National Guard answer to?
Ken Cuccinelli: They answer through DOD. They can have—
Scott Pelley: To the president?
Ken Cuccinelli: That’s the chain of command. The whole executive—
Scott Pelley: If he orders them to stand–down–will they stand down?
Ken Cuccinelli: Well, you’re going to have to ask them, but that’s unimaginable.
Scott Pelley: If the president orders DHS to stand down, will you stand down?
Ken Cuccinelli: We’re going to complete our jobs. There’s not– there’s not a stand down. We have a statutory mission we’re going to perform under all circumstances. And I think that hypothetical is– not going to happen. It’s unimaginable.
Scott Pelley: A lotta things are unimaginable in Washington these days. And we don’t have a very good track record taking the president’s word on things, so—
Ken Cuccinelli: In the Department of Homeland Security—
Scott Pelley: My– my point–is are you going to–are you going to follow—
Ken Cuccinelli: –you know, we’re—
Scott Pelley: –the president or are you going to follow the Constitution—
Ken Cuccinelli: We all swore an—
Scott Pelley: –in your role now?
Ken Cuccinelli: We all swore an oath to the Constitution. That is first and foremost. And we take Homeland Security very, very seriously. We deal with a lotta curveballs of all kinds. And yet, we march forward to keep the American people as safe as we possibly can.
