Military Took Hours to Deploy National Guard Jan. 6 After ‘Frantic’ Pleas
- D.C. National Guard commander details response to Capitol riot
- More than three hours passed before troops were approved
Police clash with supporters of Donald Trump in the Capitol building in Washington D.C., on Jan. 6.
Photographer: Mostafa Bassim/Anadolu Agency/Getty ImagesThis article is for subscribers only.
The commander of the D.C. National Guard said it took more than three hours for senior military leaders to approve a request to send troops to the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 riots, despite a “frantic” plea from the Capitol Police chief for immediate emergency assistance.
Major General William Walker, speaking in a Senate hearing Wednesday, said he and then-Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund were initially told in a call with Army officials that deploying Guardsmen to the Capitol wouldn’t be “good optics“ and that it could “further incite the crowd.“