Two members of Congress demand confronting the threat of drones during the World Cup sports

Two Republican members of Congress called on the administration of US President Donald Trump to empower the National Guard to confront potential threats related to drones and adopt a “unified federal security posture” during the FIFA World Cup matches later this year.

A letter signed by Representatives Michael McCaul and Eli Crane, both members of the House Homeland Security Committee, was sent to Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullen, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth last Friday.

McCaul and Crane called for immediate action between departments to secure the airspace over the 11 American cities hosting World Cup matches this summer.

They said that the potential shortage of personnel and complex divisions in powers between tournament organizers and host cities threaten to create a fragmented environment, adding that the situation requires a unified federal security stance.

“With its rapid deployment capacity, nationwide presence and extensive experience responding to local emergencies, the National Guard is uniquely positioned to assist federal and state authorities in mitigating drone threats and unified coordination of World Cup security,” the two representatives wrote in the letter.

The Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Justice and the Department of War did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The call to assign forces to deal with drone threats came one day before a gunman opened fire near a White House correspondents’ dinner in Washington, raising new security concerns about this summer’s World Cup matches.

The White House confirmed yesterday, Monday, that the matches will be safe, following the shooting incident that occurred last Saturday.