Fact check: What evidence exists of Trump requesting military support before January 6th?

1. Summary of the results

The evidence regarding Trump's request for military support before January 6th is contradictory and complex. While some high-ranking officials, including Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg and acting Defense Secretary Chris Miller, confirm that Trump did request National Guard troops on January 3rd ^[1], other official sources, including the Pentagon and Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby, state they have "no record of such an order being given" ^[2]. Trump has claimed he offered 10,000 National Guard troops specifically ^[3], but this claim was dismissed in a Colorado district court case as "completely devoid of any evidence" ^[3].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

Several important contextual elements are worth noting:

• Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund allegedly made a similar request for troops that was rejected by House Sergeant at Arms Paul Irving due to "political optics" concerns ^[4]
• Trump's public rhetoric on January 6th included telling supporters to "fight like hell" and directing them toward the Capitol ^[5]
• Multiple rioters have testified that they interpreted Trump's words as direct instructions, with one stating "Trump called us to D.C." ^[5]
• Trump has specifically claimed that Nancy Pelosi was in charge of Capitol security and rejected his offer of troops ^[3]

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question assumes a binary yes/no answer is possible, when the reality is more nuanced. Several competing interests are at play:

• Trump and his allies benefit from promoting the narrative that he requested troops, as it supports their position that he tried to prevent violence ^{[1] [4]}
• Trump's opponents benefit from the Pentagon's official position that no formal request was made, as it supports their narrative of his responsibility for the events ^[2]
• Law enforcement officials like Capitol Police Chief Sund have their own institutional interests in how this narrative plays out, as it affects public perception of their preparedness and response ^[4]

The discrepancy between informal discussions (which did occur according to some sources) and formal orders (which the Pentagon denies) creates a gray area that different parties exploit for their preferred narrative.