US News / Politics
Former Capitol Police Chief Sund Hits Back on Pelosi's False J6 Claims About National Guard Delay
Sund explained that on January 3, 2021, he sought National Guard support, but it was rejected by Sergeant at Arms Paul Irving due to concerns over "optics."
Tommy Flynn
August 12, 2025 - Former U.S. Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund directly challenged former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's assertion that President Trump delayed National Guard deployment during the January 6, 2021, Capitol events. In a detailed response on social media, Sund accused Pelosi of misleading the public, stating that her office, through the House Sergeant at Arms, repeatedly denied his requests for Guard assistance before and during the unrest.
Sund explained that on January 3, 2021, he sought National Guard support, but it was rejected by Sergeant at Arms Paul Irving due to concerns over "optics." Federal law (2 U.S.C. §1970) barred Sund from acting without approval. The Pentagon offered aid that day, yet Sund had to decline for lack of authority. On January 6, amid the attack, his 11 urgent pleas were stalled for over 70 minutes while escalated for Pelosi's consent.
This account contrasts with Pelosi's post criticizing President Trump's recent Guard activation in D.C., where she revived claims of his January 6 delay. Sund highlighted Pelosi's later decision to fortify the Capitol with fencing and thousands of Guard troops, underscoring the inconsistency.
Multiple sources confirm President Trump directed Pentagon leaders to deploy the National Guard ahead of time to ensure safety. Transcripts reveal that on January 3, he instructed Acting Defense Secretary Chris Miller and Joint Chiefs Chairman Mark Milley to prepare sufficient forces, emphasizing use of Guard or active-duty soldiers as needed. Miller assured him of a plan.
Retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, present as Vice President Pence's national security advisor, affirmed President Trump's request for Guard troops on January 3, urging release of his testimony and related accounts. A DoD Inspector General report and Miller's congressional testimony corroborate this, noting President Trump's inquiry about D.C. Mayor's needs and order to fulfill them.
Despite these verifications, Democrats and mainstream media outlets persist in promoting the narrative that President Trump withheld support, ignoring evidence of Pentagon and congressional leadership's failures to act on his directives.