US Vice President Mike Pence ensured Thursday that the outgoing administration was committed to an orderly transfer of power and a safe inauguration ceremony.

“We are committed to an orderly transition and to a safe Inauguration. The American people deserve nothing less,” Pence said at a meeting with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

In the FEMA briefing on the security measures ahead of the January 20 inauguration, broadcast by NBC News, Pence said that the transfer of power must be done in a way that is consistent with US traditions and that “gives honor to the American people.”

Shortly thereafter, Pence made an unscheduled stop at the Capitol Hill where he met with National Guard troops tasked with providing security during the ceremony.

The Washington Post reported earlier, citing sources, that far-right groups were planning to stage sporadic unrest in the US capital despite heavy security presence.

The inauguration ceremony itself will be devoid of public attendance and much of Washington DC’s monuments and squares will be closed off.

More than 7,000 National Guard troops have been deployed in the city since the 6 January breaching of the Capitol building. Some 2,000 are tasked with overseeing security at the inauguration itself, while an estimated 20,000-strong force will be spread out across the city to quash any perceived security risks.

Source: Agencies