As the hearings on the Capitol riot have progressed, it has become apparent that troops were requested and denied for coverage at the January 6 riot.
Because all parties are currently covering their own tails, we still don’t know who ultimately gave the thumbs down, but if we are to believe Trump, we do know where the initial request came from… President Trump.
We Need 10,000 Troops
The buildup to the January 6 rally was significant, which apparently gave Trump some cause for concern.
After his CPAC appearance, Trump discussed some of the events that led up to that day with Fox News, which is when he dropped the bombshell.
Trump said that he told the “top person” at the Pentagon that 10,000 National Guard troops should be standing ready.
Trump’s assessment of this was due to how many people he had personally spoken to that were going to be at the rally.
With the expected attendance, Trump was concerned the local law enforcement would be overwhelmed by the sheer number of people present.
Trump stated, “I said, ‘Look, this rally is going to be bigger than anyone thinks.’
“And I said that I think you should have 10,000 — I think I gave the number — I definitely gave the number of 10,000 National Guardsmen, and I think you should have 10,000 of the National Guard ready.”
Trump added, “They took that number. From what I understand, they gave it to the people at the Capitol, which is controlled by [House Speaker Nancy] Pelosi. And I heard they rejected it because they didn’t think it would look good. So, you know, that was a big mistake.”
This matches up the account that Acting Defense Secretary Chris Miller, who would have been the “top person” at the Pentagon at the time, gave to Vanity Fair recently.
Miller, in that interview, stated that Trump told him, “‘You’re going to need 10,000 people.’ No, I’m not talking bullshit, he said that.
“‘You’re going to need 10,000.’ That’s what he said. Swear to God.”
Miller, however, also added some clarity on why this was not granted, stating, “The president’s sometimes hyperbolic, as you’ve noticed.
“There were gonna be a million people in the street, I think was his expectation.”
This is a game-changer in terms of what was told to security officials and what actions were taken.
Even a small presence by National Guard troops would have probably prevented the riot at the Capitol, as I would imagine 1,000, or even 100 troops standing on the Capitol steps would have been a huge deterrent to rioters.
Source: Washington Examiner
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