Fact check: What communications occurred between Trump administration and National Guard on January 6th?

1. Summary of the results

The communications between the Trump administration and National Guard on January 6th were complex and marked by delays and contradictions. The timeline shows that National Guard members didn't arrive until 5:40 PM, after most violence had subsided ^[1]. Multiple requests for National Guard support were initially denied or delayed, with Vice President Mike Pence, not Trump, ultimately approving the deployment ^[1].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

Several crucial contextual elements need to be considered:

• Pre-January 6th Planning: The Department of Defense had proactively offered National Guard assistance before January 6th, but Capitol Police initially rejected this offer ^[2]. DC Mayor Muriel Bowser also discouraged National Guard deployment ^[2].
• Disputed Trump Order: There are conflicting accounts about Trump's involvement:
• Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg claims Trump requested troops on January 3rd ^[3]
• The January 6th Committee found no evidence of Trump ordering 10,000 troops ^[4]
• Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby found no record of such an order ^[5]
• The DOD timeline only mentions plans for 340 National Guard members for traffic control, not 10,000 troops ^[5]
• Bureaucratic Complications: There were significant inter-agency communications and disagreements about National Guard involvement ^[2], with multiple bureaucratic obstacles slowing the response ^[1].

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The question itself requires important clarification regarding several competing narratives:

• Trump Administration's Narrative: Trump and supporters like Lt. Gen. Kellogg benefit from promoting the narrative that Trump requested troops early, as it suggests proactive security planning ^[3].
• Opposition Narrative: Critics benefit from emphasizing that Trump resisted deploying the National Guard during the riot ^[6], supporting claims of dereliction of duty.
• Institutional Response: Various agencies (DOD, Capitol Police, DC Mayor's office) each have institutional interests in how their roles are portrayed, potentially influencing their accounts of communications and decision-making ^[2].

The reality appears more complex than either narrative suggests, with documented communication failures and conflicting accounts from multiple credible sources.