President Donald Trump has made false, inflammatory claims alleging that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi refused additional security ahead of the Capitol riot on Jan. 6. There is no evidence to support Trump’s suggestion that Pelosi was responsible for the violent attack.
In the days after the siege, Trump made this claim, tweeting: “Nancy Pelosi, who has been finishing her term as Speaker of the House of Representatives, chose not to allow 10,000 National Guard troops to protect the Capitol, even though they were all set and ready to go. She is responsible for Jan. 6 and its horrible aftermath.”
However, multiple news outlets have debunked Trump’s version of events. According to reports, the U.S. Capitol Police turned down an offer of help from the Pentagon before the riot, and the D.C. government, which would have been in charge of any additional troops, was still in negotiations with the Defense Department just before it occurred.
Additionally, it is not in Pelosi’s purview to approve or reject any additional security at the Capitol. The Capitol Police is an independent law enforcement agency, and the decision to request extra troops fell to the Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund and former Senate Sergeant at Arms Michael Stenger, both of whom resigned in the wake of the riot.
