Claims that Nancy Pelosi rejected President Trump’s offer to deploy 10,000 National Guard troops to secure the Capitol on January 6, 2021, and orchestrated a plan to incite and entrap Trump supporters into breaching the building have circulated widely, particularly on platforms like X. These claims, however, lack credible evidence and have been repeatedly debunked by multiple sources, including official investigations and fact-checking organizations.
The assertion that Trump formally requested 10,000 National Guard troops and that Pelosi rejected this offer is unsupported by official records. Trump mentioned the figure of 10,000 troops in a January 5, 2021, conversation with Acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller, but this was not a formal order or request. Miller described it as an offhand remark, reflecting Trump’s expectation of a large crowd, not a directive. No evidence exists that this figure was relayed to Capitol Police or Pelosi’s office. The Department of Defense has confirmed no such order was issued, and Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby stated, “We have no record of such an order being given.” Pelosi, as Speaker of the House, did not have authority over National Guard deployment, which is controlled by the President or, in some cases, governors. The Capitol Police Board, comprising the House and Senate Sergeants at Arms and the Architect of the Capitol, decides on Guard requests for the Capitol, and no evidence suggests Pelosi directed them to reject assistance.
The claim that Pelosi orchestrated a plan to incite and entrap Trump supporters is similarly baseless. Footage from January 6, recorded by Pelosi’s daughter, shows Pelosi reacting to the attack in real time, calling for military assistance alongside Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. Her office has stated she was not informed of any pre-January 6 Guard request, and she supported deployment once the riot began. A video where Pelosi says, “I take responsibility,” refers to her regret for not pushing for better preparation, not an admission of orchestrating the attack. Claims of entrapment often cite unverified allegations, such as those involving paid actors or specific individuals like John Sullivan, but no credible evidence supports these narratives. The January 6 Committee and over 1,400 federal charges against rioters confirm the attack was driven by Trump supporters responding to his election fraud claims, not a coordinated plot by Pelosi.
Posts on X, including those by high-profile figures, have amplified these claims, often citing selective video clips or unverified sources. However, these lack substantiation and contradict documented evidence, such as testimony from former Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund and House Sergeant at Arms Paul Irving, who confirmed no pre-January 6 Guard request was formally raised with Pelosi. The persistence of these claims reflects political polarization but does not align with the factual record.
