On Wednesday, four officials from the D.C. National Guard who were involved in the response to the Capitol riots on January 6, 2021, alleged that top Army leaders had lied to Congress regarding the delay in deploying the guard. Politico reported that former Secretary of the Army Ryan McCarthy, then-acting Defense Secretary Chris Miller, and former Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley, among other high-ranking Pentagon leaders, had claimed that the National Guard was sent to the Capitol promptly when their assistance was required. However, the National Guard “whistleblowers” accused these officials of attempting to protect the Army’s reputation and shifting the blame elsewhere during their testimony before the House Administration Committee panel.
“I have no idea why we never received that order,” retired D.C. National Guard Command Sergeant Major Michael Brooks, told lawmakers. “All I know is that they were more concerned with what it would look like with soldiers with the Capitol in the background than protecting the Capitol of the United States.”
McCarthy and other high-ranking Army officials delayed the deployment of the National Guard, Brooks stated.
The hearing aimed to clarify the National Guard’s responsibilities in protecting the Capitol and to address gaps in knowledge regarding the broader security failures of that day. In March, the committee released transcripts of testimony from White House Deputy Chief of Staff Anthony Ornato, who claimed that former President Donald Trump offered National Guard troops to protect the Capitol, but Mayor Muriel Bowser declined the offer, contradicting the narrative presented by the Democrat-led Jan. 6 Select Committee.
Former Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund requested National Guard support during a 2:30 p.m. phone call after receiving reports that rioters had breached the Capitol’s barriers, as outlined in a 2021 memo by then-Lt. Timothy Nick. However, Lt. Gen. Charles Flynn, the Army’s former director of operations, and Lt. Gen. Walter Piatt, the former director of the Army staff, opposed the deployment.
They expressed concerns about the potential negative perception and suggested that the Guard remain on standby, as noted in the memo. Subsequently, both generals denied opposing the deployment of the D.C. Guard to the Capitol.
“At no point on January 6 did I tell anyone that the D.C. National Guard should not deploy directly to the Capitol,” Piatt told Congress in 2021.
Flynn and Piatt contended that the D.C. National Guard was not ready for deployment, as reported by Politico. All witnesses during the panel, including Brig. Gen. Aaron Dean, Nick, Col. Earl Matthews, and Brooks, confirmed that the deployment was delayed. They refuted any claims that the guard was unprepared to assist the U.S. Capitol Police in securing the capitol grounds. Miller granted authorization for the D.C. Guard to deploy at 3 p.m., with the ability to mobilize at that time, according to Matthews, the former chief legal adviser to the D.C. National Guard. However, McCarthy did not issue the order to move.
The National Guard were “not allowed to do our job due to paralyzed decision making,” Nick told the panel.
Watch:
TESTIMONY: D.C. National Guard were ready on Jan. 6th but never called, 'We had a force equip and ready to respond.'
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) April 17, 2024
Witnesses further mentioned that despite having casual discussions with investigators from the Jan. 6 committee, which were not officially recorded, they were never summoned to provide testimony. Matthews also highlighted that their alerts regarding the reliability of certain witnesses were disregarded.
According to the Department of Defense (DOD) Inspector General report released in November 2021, the DOD’s actions in response to the domestic turmoil, including aiding the U.S. Capitol Police, were deemed “reasonable in light of the circumstances that existed on that day.”
Brooks alleged that senior DOD member manipulated the IG report “to protect and advance individuals who sought to shield themselves from responsibility, to overly enhance their role and perceived significance in a critical moment in the history of our nation’s democracy.” Matthews mentioned that he participated in the 2:30 conference call and had several conversations with Flynn and Piatt throughout the day.
“These officers lied with impunity,” Matthews said.