Fact check: Why was there a delay in National Guard response during the January 6th Capitol breach?

1. Summary of the results

The analyses confirm that there was indeed a significant delay in the National Guard response during the January 6th Capitol breach. The D.C. National Guard did not arrive at the Capitol until almost 6 p.m., representing a delay of 3 hours and 19 minutes after the initial request for assistance ^[1]. More specifically, Major General William Walker received a 'frantic' call from Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund at 1:49 p.m., but was not given approval to deploy troops until 5:08 p.m. ^[2].

The delay stemmed from multiple documented factors:

• Initially, only 340 National Guard members were called up for traffic control and crowd management ^[3]
• At 2 p.m., when the situation escalated, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser requested more assistance, and Acting Defense Secretary Chris Miller immediately called up 1,100 members of the D.C. National Guard ^[3]
• The Department of Defense took over three hours to approve the National Guard's deployment ^[2]
• Military leaders like Lt. Gen. Walter Piatt were concerned about the visual of National Guard troops at the Capitol, which contributed to the hesitation in deployment ^[2]

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The analyses reveal several important contextual factors not typically included in discussions of the delay:

Pentagon leadership concerns about optics: The delay was significantly influenced by concerns about 'optics' and potentially 'inflaming' the situation ^[3]. Military leadership was worried about the 'optics' of deploying troops and potentially 'inflaming' the protesters ^[4]. This hesitation was partly rooted in concerns stemming from the National Guard's controversial handling of protests in summer 2020 ^[4].

Conflicting narratives about Trump's role: One analysis suggests that President Trump met with senior Pentagon leaders and directed them to ensure that the events on January 6, 2021, were safe. However, these senior Pentagon leaders ignored President Trump's guidance and prioritized concerns about 'optics' over their duty to protect lives and property ^[5]. This presents an alternative viewpoint that places responsibility on Pentagon leadership rather than presidential directives.

Intelligence and communication failures: Intelligence failures and lack of specific threat information contributed to the slow response to the Capitol breach ^[4]. Additionally, the delay involved a lack of clear communication and authorization from senior Army officials ^[1].

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question itself does not contain misinformation, as it accurately identifies that there was a delay in National Guard response. However, the framing could benefit from additional context:

The question implies the delay was unusual or unexpected, but the analyses show that military leadership deliberately hesitated due to specific concerns about deployment optics and lessons learned from previous controversial National Guard deployments ^{[4] [3]}.

One source attempts to frame the response positively, stating that National Guard troops responded appropriately and with alacrity once the reality of the assault became apparent ^[3], which could minimize the significance of the documented 3+ hour delay.

The competing narratives about responsibility - whether the delay resulted from Trump administration directives or Pentagon leadership decisions - represent different political perspectives that benefit different parties in ongoing debates about January 6th accountability.