COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster said the deployment of South Carolina National Guard troops to Washington, D.C. won't affect the guard's ability to respond to any emergencies back home in the Palmetto State.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order earlier this month calling on states to send personnel on a mission that he said is needed to restore law and order in the nation’s capital. South Carolina guardmembers, as well as those form West Virginia, Mississippi and Louisiana, were the first to arrive this past Tuesday.

Speaking to reporters Thursday, McMaster said roughly 250 Guardsmen, including officers and support staff, were sent earlier this week but he said the deployment does not affect the state’s preparedness for emergencies, including the ongoi

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