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Fact check: Did Trump delay National Guard response on January 6, 2021?
1. Summary of the results
The question of Trump's role in the National Guard response on January 6 reveals a complex and contested narrative. While some sources indicate Trump requested National Guard troops before January 6 [1], multiple officials, including Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby, stated there is no record of Trump requesting 10,000 troops as he later claimed [2]. The final deployment order actually came from Vice President Mike Pence, not Trump [3] [4].
2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints
Several crucial contextual elements are missing from the original question:
- Timeline and Delays: The first National Guard members didn't arrive until 5:40 p.m., after most of the violence had already subsided [3].
- Pentagon's Role: The Department of Defense showed hesitation in confronting protesters and imposed strict restrictions on Guard actions [4]. Pentagon officials reportedly delayed the response citing "optics" concerns, despite the Guard being ready at 3 pm [5].
- Chain of Command Clarity: Speaker Pelosi had no direct authority over National Guard deployment, contrary to some circulating claims [6].
3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement
The original question oversimplifies a complex situation where multiple parties played different roles:
- Trump Administration's Narrative: Trump supporters benefit from promoting the narrative that he requested troops early (January 3rd) and wanted to ensure a safe event [1].
- Opposition Narrative: Trump's critics benefit from emphasizing his initial resistance to deployment and the fact that Pence ultimately gave the order [3] [4].
- Pentagon's Role: The House Administration Subcommittee has claimed that the Department of Defense Inspector General report was misleading about the events, suggesting potential institutional bias in official accounts [5].
The truth appears to involve institutional delays, conflicting chains of command, and subsequent attempts by various parties to shape the narrative to their advantage.