Fact check: Did Maxine Waters really tell National Guard to 'defy orders'?

1. Summary of the results

The claim that Maxine Waters told the National Guard to "defy orders" is demonstrably false. Multiple sources confirm that Waters never directly addressed or gave instructions to the National Guard ^[1]. What Waters actually said was that protesters should "stay on the street" and "get more confrontational" if Derek Chauvin was not convicted in his trial ^[1].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

Several crucial pieces of context are missing from the original statement:

• Waters was speaking specifically about the Derek Chauvin trial and justice for Daunte Wright ^[1]
• She later clarified that by "confrontational" she meant:
• Speaking up
• Legislative action
• Peaceful protest
• "Confronting the justice system" ^{[1] [2]}
• The judge in the Chauvin trial noted her comments might provide grounds for appeal ^[1]
• Some conservatives attempted to link her comments to a later shooting incident involving the National Guard, but this was not directly related to her statements ^[3]

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The mischaracterization of Waters' comments appears to have been politically motivated:

• Republicans sought to censure her, claiming she was inciting violence ^[1]
• Conservative outlets and politicians deliberately mischaracterized her remarks ^[3]
• Democratic leadership and Waters herself maintained she was advocating for nonviolent protest ^[1]

This appears to be a case where political opponents transformed a call for protest into something more sinister by taking statements out of context and adding implications that were not present in the original comments. The narrative benefits those seeking to discredit Waters and paint Democratic leadership as anti-law enforcement.