Trump must tell his supporters to 'stand down' from new threat to storm Capitol, says GOP Rep. Michael McCaul

<p><img src="https://static5.businessinsider.com/image/6040cde52dc9010018355515-2400/trump%20capitol%20threat.JPG" border="0" alt="trump capitol threat.JPG" data-mce-source="Getty"></p><p></p><bi-shortcode id="summary-shortcode" data-type="summary-shortcode" class="mceNonEditable" contenteditable="false">Summary List Placement</bi-shortcode><p>Former President Donald Trump should tell his supporters to "stand down" after US officials warned of a new plot to target the US Capitol building in Washington, DC this week, a senior House Republican has said.</p><p>"I think President Trump has a responsibility to tell them to stand down," Rep. Michael McCaul, the ranking Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, told CNN Wednesday.</p><p>"This threat is credible, it's real," he said.</p><p>McCaul's comments come after <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/police-uncover-possible-plot-by-militia-to-breach-capitol-2021-3'r=US&amp;IR=T">security officials said Wednesday they had intelligence</a> showing there was a "possible plot" by right-wing militia groups to target the US Capitol building on Thursday.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation=""><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Rep. Michael McCaul says fmr. Pres. Trump has a responsibility to tell extremists, who believe Trump will be inaugurated on March 4, and who the FBI say are plotting a possible attack on the US Capitol, to stand down. "This threat is credible. It's real." <a href="https://t.co/txZq2tbwMH">https://t.co/txZq2tbwMH</a> <a href="https://t.co/n4X4WbwTIo">pic.twitter.com/n4X4WbwTIo</a></p> The Lead CNN (@TheLeadCNN) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1367230581696827403'ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 3, 2021</a></blockquote><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>House Majority leader Steny Hoyer <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/house-wraps-business-early-in-light-of-potential-threats-2021-3">said the House would this week wrap on Wednesday</a>, a day early, amid potential security threats at the Capitol on Thursday.</p><p>An <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/house-wraps-business-early-in-light-of-potential-threats-2021-3">internal memo sent to House members on Wednesday</a> by Timothy Blodgett, the acting House sergeant-at-arms, said that police were monitoring "potential protests and demonstration activity surrounding what some have described as the 'true inauguration day.'"</p><p>It comes less than two months after the failed insurrection on January 6, when hundreds of Trump supporters breached the building, <a href="https://www.google.com/search'client=safari&amp;rls=en&amp;q=five+people+died+capitol+site:businessinsider.com&amp;ie=UTF-8&amp;oe=UTF-8">as a result of which at least five people died</a>, including one Capitol police officer.</p><p>Blodgett <a href="https://twitter.com/JaxAlemany/status/1367234842300207108/photo/1">said in the memo</a> that Capitol Police on Tuesday received "new and concerning information and intelligence indicating additional interest in the Capitol for the dates of March 4 to March 6 by a militia group."</p><p>The threat <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/house-wraps-business-early-in-light-of-potential-threats-2021-3">appears to be linked to a baseless far-right conspiracy theory</a> promoted online by far-right groups which states that Donald Trump will formally rise to power again on March 4, the Associated Press reported.</p><p>Conspiracy groups including the Three Percenters and QAnon have suggested Trump will reclaim his role as US President on March 4 and purge his opponents, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/house-wraps-business-early-in-light-of-potential-threats-2021-3">Insider's Erin Snodgrass reported</a>.</p><p>The baseless idea is based on the fact that the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/house-wraps-business-early-in-light-of-potential-threats-2021-3">original inaugural date for US presidents and vice-presidents was on March 4</a>, until the date in 1933 was moved to January 23.</p><p>Capitol Police significantly <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/photos-new-security-measures-national-guard-us-capitol-after-riot-2021-1#some-of-the-troops-were-already-preparing-to-come-to-dc-to-serve-as-protection-during-the-inauguration-they-will-be-deployed-in-washington-for-one-month-12">increased security around the building after</a> the January 6 insurrection.</p><p>Hundreds of National Guard troops remained stationed around the area and extensive fencing has been erected around the building's perimeter.</p><p>Blodgett <a href="https://twitter.com/JaxAlemany/status/1367234842300207108/photo/1">stated in his memo</a> that the National Guard would continue to station troops around the area and said the Capitol Police would maintain an increased security presence at the building.</p><p>The Department for Homeland Security also issued an internal intelligence memo about "extremists discussing March 4 and March 6," <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/03/politics/capitol-hill-security-latest/index.html">CNN reported</a>.</p><p>It <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/house-wraps-business-early-in-light-of-potential-threats-2021-3">remains unclear whether any far-right groups actually plan to travel to DC this week</a> or if the threats are simply the result of online activity indicating a threat.</p><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/donald-trump-must-tell-stand-down-capitol-threat-gop-rep-2021-3#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-its-like-to-do-your-own-taxes-for-the-very-first-time-2018-2">July 15 is Tax Dayhere's what it's like to do your own taxes for the very first time</a></p>
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