National Guard forces increased steadily in the days leading up to the inauguration, and the authorized maximum of 25,000 troops was reached on the eve of Inauguration Day—three times the number activated for recent ceremonies. The total number of troops in the city may have been the highest since the American Civil War—comparable to that during Abraham Lincoln's first inauguration, which also featured an increased military presence—and surpassed the 13,000 guardsmen deployed during the 1968 riots. Thousands rested in Emancipation Hall of the Capitol Visitor Center, but their lax adherence to COVID-19 guidelines, such as remaining distant from each other and wearing facial coverings, led to nearly 250 members contracting the disease. While most state governors and adjutant generals agreed to requests from the Defense Department officials to send additional troops, some governors declined, desiring to retain capability to defend their own state capitols.