Lt. Gen. Walter Piatt, the director of the Army Staff, on Monday disputed former Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund’s account of how and when the National Guard was deployed to assist with Wednesday’s Capitol riots, saying that he did not push back against calls for deployment.

The top Army official contradicted what Sund told The Washington Post occurred on a conference call between officials. Piatt said that “as soon as” Army Secretary Ryan McCarthyRyan McCarthyDirector of Army Staff disputes Capitol Police chief account of National Guard deployment Overnight Defense: National Guard boosts DC presence ahead of inauguration | Lawmakers demand probes into troops’ role in Capitol riot | Financial disclosures released for Biden Pentagon nominee National Guard to ramp up DC presence to at least 10,000 ahead of Biden inauguration MORE received the request from the Capitol Police to deploy the National Guard, “he ran to the Acting Secretary of Defense’s office to request approval.”

The former Capitol Police chief had said Piatt told him that he couldn’t immediately recommend McCarthy authorize the deployment as pro-Trump rioters stormed the building.

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Citing Sund and four officials on the call, the Post reported that Piatt had said he didn’t “like the visual of the National Guard standing a police line with the Capitol in the background.”

“I did not make the statement or any comments similar to what was attributed to me by Chief Sund in the Washington Post article — but would note that even in his telling he makes it clear that neither I, nor anyone else from [the Department of Defense], denied the deployment of requested personnel,” Piatt said in his Monday statement.

Instead, Piatt said he stayed on the phone while McCarthy met with acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller “and made clear to the participants of the conference call that I was not the approval authority but that Secretary McCarthy was working the approval.”

Piatt said he worked with the call participants to develop a deployment plan.

“This included options of relieving law enforcement throughout the city so those assets could assist with law enforcement actions at the Capitol, or using the National Guard to set a perimeter at the Capitol to provide law enforcement a safe environment in which to conduct clearing operations,” he said. “In the end, the National Guard was deployed to set the perimeter at the Capitol.”

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Piatt said authorization to activate the National Guard came “approximately forty minutes after that call initiated,” though the first National Guard personnel did not arrive on the scene until 5:40 p.m., after four of the five deaths amid the riot had already occurred.

Sund, who resigned amid lawmaker pressure the day after the riots, had told the Post that Piatt had said he would prefer to have the National Guard take posts around D.C. to allow D.C. police to respond at the Capitol.

The newspaper said four other officials, including D.C. Mayor Muriel BowserMuriel BowserDirector of Army Staff disputes Capitol Police chief account of National Guard deployment Trump approves DC emergency declaration ahead of Biden inauguration National Guard to ramp up DC presence to at least 10,000 ahead of Biden inauguration MORE (D), supported Sund’s account of the call.

Bowser told the Post that Sund had “made it perfectly clear that they needed extraordinary help, including the National Guard. There was some concern from the Army of what it would look like to have armed military personnel on the grounds of the Capitol.”

The disagreement about the call and the authorization of the National Guard comes as lawmakers and others attempt to piece together what happened Wednesday ahead of and during the riots at the Capitol, which were intended to disrupt Congress’s affirmation of President-elect Joe BidenJoe BidenCapitol Police confirm investigation into some officers’ behavior during riot GOP lawmakers told Trump takes some responsibility for Capitol riot Director of Army Staff disputes Capitol Police chief account of National Guard deployment MORE‘s victory. 

During his Post interview, Sund said his attempt to involve the National Guard before Wednesday was hindered by House and Senate security officials, including House Sergeant-at-Arms Paul Irving and Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Michael Stenger, who have both resigned in the aftermath.

New authorities from the recently enacted defense bill are expected to help the U.S. government in its response to the SolarWinds hack believed to be perpetrated by Russia.

The annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which became law this past week after Congress overrode President TrumpDonald TrumpKim says North Korean efforts will focus on bringing US ‘to their knees’ Pelosi urges Democrats to prepare to return to DC this week amid impeachment calls Ken Klippenstein: ‘Ideological’ blindspot kept law enforcement from urgently responding to Capitol riots MORE’s veto, formally established a cyber czar position at the White House, in addition to granting numerous other cybersecurity powers that could help the incoming Biden administration respond to the Russian hack.

“Once this individual is appointed and confirmed, this would be the individual who is coordinating the response,” Rep. Jim LangevinJames (Jim) R. LangevinCyber czar to draw on new powers from defense bill Senate approves defense bill establishing cyber czar position, subpoena power for cyber agency House chairman endorses Michele Flournoy for Biden’s Pentagon chief MORE (D-R.I.), one of the key members of Congress who pushed for the national cyber director position to be established, told The Hill this week.

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The national cyber director, a Senate-confirmed position, could play a critical role as federal agencies grapple with the depth and breadth of the SolarWinds hack.

“Rather than response being ad hoc and figuring out as we go, you’d have someone who has a well thought out plan for a thorough and aggressive response, and we would be much more effective,” Langevin said of a response to the SolarWinds hack.

U.S. intelligence agencies this week formally accused Russia of being behind the attack on the IT firm SolarWinds that hit clients like Fortune 500 companies and the majority of federal agencies as far back as March.

The Commerce, Defense, Energy, Homeland Security, Justice, State, and Treasury departments have all said they were compromised by the hack.

SolarWinds reported last month that around 18,000 of its customers were likely affected. Microsoft and the cybersecurity group FireEye both confirmed they were impacted.

“This is a massive, massive issue which certainly affects governments but in all probability has great consequences outside of government, into the private sector that we still are at the early innings of understanding,” said Amit Yoran, chairman and CEO of the cybersecurity group Tenable.

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The executive branch has been without a formal cybersecurity leader since 2018, when former national security adviser John BoltonJohn BoltonCyber czar to draw on new powers from defense bill Shellshocked GOP ponders future with Trump Calls grow louder to remove Trump under 25th Amendment MORE eliminated the role as a way to reduce bureaucracy.

The move came a year after the State Department got rid of its cybersecurity coordinator office, making it harder for the government to coordinate on international cyber security issues.

President-elect Joe BidenJoe BidenKim says North Korean efforts will focus on bringing US ‘to their knees’ Amazon suspends Parler from web hosting service Pelosi urges Democrats to prepare to return to DC this week amid impeachment calls MORE is likely to take a very different approach to cyber leadership.

“We have to be able to innovate and reimagine our defenses against growing threats in new realms like cyberspace,” Biden said at a press conference last month while addressing the SolarWinds attack.

Biden has not yet named an individual to fill the cyber czar post, and a transition spokesperson declined to comment on who might be under consideration.

Langevin said he hoped Biden would consider former officials like Michael Daniel, who served as special assistant to former President Obama and cybersecurity coordinator on the National Security Council; Suzanne Spaulding, former director of the predecessor agency to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA); and Chris Inglis, former deputy director of the National Security Agency.

“I have been in contact with someone at the very senior level within the Biden team, and hopefully we’ll have a national cyber director sooner rather than later,” Langevin said.

While the post hasn’t been filled, another key cybersecurity role that could assist in the response to the SolarWinds attack seems to be locked down.

Politico reportef Thursday that Biden would shortly appoint Ann Neuberger, the director of the National Security Agency’s Cybersecurity Directorate, to fill the newly created role of deputy national security adviser for cybersecurity on the National Security Council.

The Biden transition spokesperson declined to comment on this as well, but said “the Biden-Harris Administration will make cybersecurity a top priority, elevating it as an imperative across the government from day one.”

“We will strengthen our partnerships with the private sector, academia, and civil society; renew our commitment to international norms and engagement on cyber issues; and expand our investment in the infrastructure and people we need to effectively defend the nation against malicious cyber activity,” the spokesperson added.

The two new positions aren’t the only new powers the federal government in responding to cyber threats.

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The massive defense funding bill included over two dozen other clauses that were based on recommendations compiled by the Cyberspace Solarium Commission (CSC), a congressionally established group made up of lawmakers, federal officials and industry leaders to draw up a road map for defending the U.S. in cyberspace.

Some of their recommendations that were included in the bill were clauses allowing CISA to conduct cyber threat hunting operations within an agency’s network, a power that might have notified officials far earlier about the SolarWinds hack.

The defense bill also gives CISA the power to issue subpoenas to internet service providers, compelling them to release information on cyber vulnerabilities detected on the networks of critical infrastructure organizations.

“I think a lot of the recommendations and the things in the NDAA will help and be pretty impactful,” Yoran said.

Langevin said he hoped the Biden administration would work quickly to implement the new authorities in order to “get their arms around” the increasing risk posed by adversaries in cyberspace.

“I am already impressed with the national security team that President-elect Biden is putting together,” Langevin said. “It is going to take a bit, but I want to make sure we are implementing the provisions that are in law, and combined they will both go a long way to protecting the United States in cyberspace.”

White House economic adviser Larry KudlowLarry KudlowMORE plans to remain in his role for the remainder of the Trump administration but plans to spend some of it on vacation.

Kudlow told The Hill that he will be in the office “a few days a week” and will take some vacation time during the next two weeks. The news was first reported by CNBC on Friday. It means that Kudlow will not join a list of administration officials who have stepped down from the administration over the past two days due to President TrumpDonald TrumpMcConnell circulates procedures for second Senate impeachment trial of Trump Trump suggests building own platform after Twitter ban Poll: 18 percent of Republicans support Capitol riots MORE‘s role in inciting riots on Capitol Hill.

Kudlow has served as President Trump’s chief economic adviser and director of the National Economic Council since March 2018.

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Two Cabinet members and at least six other administration officials have resigned from their posts after pro-Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday in support of Trump’s efforts to overturn his election loss to President-elect Joe BidenJoe BidenUS judge blocks Trump administration’s restrictions on asylum eligibility McConnell circulates procedures for second Senate impeachment trial of Trump Top Trump official rescinds then reissues resignation letter to say departure is in protest MORE.

It is not uncommon for officials to leave their roles for new ones in the waning days of an administration, but some if not all of the resignations have been tied to the riots.

Education Secretary Betsy DeVosBetsy DeVosTop Trump official rescinds then reissues resignation letter to say departure is in protest Cuomo: ‘I call on President Trump to resign’ Clyburn blasts DeVos and Chao for ‘running away’ from 25th Amendment fight MORE submitted her resignation letter to Trump on Thursday in which she called the riots “unconscionable” and blamed Trump’s rhetoric for playing a role in the violence.

Amid talk of potential further resignations, some GOP senators have urged key officials like national security adviser Robert O’Brien and White House counsel Pat Cipollone to remain in their roles over concerns of a potential leadership vacuum.

There have been calls for Trump to resign or be removed from office in the wake of the violence. Trump, who initially refused to condemn the rioters, rebuked the violence and acknowledged a new administration would be taking hold on Jan. 20 in a video message Thursday evening.

Trump on Friday announced he would not be attending Biden’s inauguration. Vice President Pence, who presided over Congress when it certified the Electoral College votes following the riots overnight Wednesday, is expected to attend the inauguration in some capacity.

WWE has suspended Heath Slater for 30 days for violating the Wellness Policy. It was his first violation.

The official statement from the WWE website reads:

“In accordance with its Talent Wellness Program, WWE has suspended Heath Miller (Heath Slater) for 30 days effective immediately for his first violation of the company’s policy.”

* Woman Accuses HEATH SLATER Of Violent Assault