Trump Says He Requested 10,000 National Guard At Capitol Before Riots

Trump said he 'hated' to see what unfolded on Jan. 6

Trump Says He Requested 10,000 National Guard At Capitol Before Riots

Trump said he 'hated' to see what unfolded on Jan. 6


Former President Trump told Fox News on Sunday that he had expressed concern days before the Capitol riots that the rally crowds in Washington D.C. may be larger than expected and he personally requested 10,000 National Guardsmen to support Capitol police.

Trump said that “his team alerted the Department of Defense days before the rally that crowds might be larger than anticipated and 10,000 national guardsmen should be ready to deploy,” Fox News reported. “He said that — from what he understands — the warning was passed along to leaders at the Capitol, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi — and he heard that the request was rejected because these leaders did not like the optics of 10,000 troops at the Capitol.
Trump’s statements align with claims made by his former Chief of Staff Mark Meadows last month, who told Fox News that Trump gave a “direct order” for “10,000 National Guard troops” to be ready.

“As many as 10,000 National Guard troops were told to be on the ready by the Secretary of Defense,” Meadows said. “That was a direct order from President Trump and yet here is what we see, all kinds of blame going around but yet not a whole lot of accountability. That accountability needs to rest with where it ultimately should be and that’s on Capitol Hill.”

Democrat D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser also told the Justice Department before the riots that the city “is not requesting other federal law enforcement” and “discourages any additional deployment” without “notification to and consultation with” the Metropolitan Police Department.
“To be clear, the District of Columbia is not requesting other federal law enforcement personnel and discourages any additional deployment without immediate notification to, and consultation with, MPD if such plans are underway.”


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