The debate over the deployment of the National Guard during the January 6 Capitol attack has reignited, with former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and former President Donald Trump at the center of the controversy. Pelosi recently accused Trump of hindering the Guard's deployment, an assertion that has been challenged by former U.S. Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund.
In a public statement, Pelosi criticized Trump for his inaction on January 6, 2021, when the Capitol was besieged by rioters. She claimed that Trump delayed the Guard's response, endangering lives and allowing the situation to escalate. Furthermore, Pelosi condemned Trump's recent use of the Guard as a diversion from what she described as his "incompetent mishandling" of key policy areas, including tariffs and healthcare.
However, Steven Sund, the former Capitol Police Chief, has publicly disputed Pelosi's narrative. In a pointed response, Sund accused Pelosi of obstructing his multiple requests for Guard support before and during the attack. He stated that on January 3, he sought National Guard assistance but was denied by the House Sergeant at Arms, who acted under the authority of Pelosi's office. Sund emphasized that under federal law, he was prohibited from unilaterally calling in the Guard without explicit approval from the Capitol Police Board.
Sund's account raises questions about the chain of command and the decision-making process that led to the delay in Guard deployment. He detailed that even on the day of the attack, his pleas for help were repeatedly turned down, resulting in a critical delay of over 70 minutes while the Sergeant at Arms sought approval.
This is not the first time Sund has confronted Pelosi over the events of January 6. In previous statements and during sworn testimony in 2023, he has criticized both the Pentagon and Pelosi's office for their roles in the delayed response. Sund's revelations have been bolstered by video footage from Pelosi's daughter, which appears to show the former Speaker acknowledging the shortfall of Guard troops during the evacuation.
The fresh controversy comes as President Trump has activated the D.C. National Guard for a federal takeover of the Metropolitan Police Department, a move that has been met with sharp criticism from Democratic leaders. The decision has reopened fierce debates over accountability for the failures on January 6 and the appropriate use of military forces in domestic incidents.
As the political battle wages on, the question of who bears responsibility for the security lapses during the Capitol attack remains a contentious issue. Both Pelosi and Trump continue to defend their actions, with Pelosi insisting that Trump refused to send the Guard when it was most needed, and Sund's allegations suggesting a more complex picture of bureaucratic hurdles and legal restrictions.
