Military officials’ worries about ‘optics’ are to blame for National Guard delay Jan. 6, top Republican says

The top Republican investigating the work of the House select committee on Jan. 6 believes military officials defied former President Trump and delayed sending the National Guard to the Capitol that day.

Rep. Barry Loudermilk, R-Ga., is chair of the House Administration Committee’s subcommittee on oversight. In that role, he conducted a months-long investigation into the now-defunct panel set up by former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., after the Capitol riot.

“From what we’ve learned from senior leadership within the D.C. National Guard and then some information we’re deriving from the Pentagon, is that, yes, it was, from leaders within the Pentagon that either through incompetence, poor communications or … a concern of optics, they purposely delayed the National Guard actually getting to the Capitol,” Loudermilk said.

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House Republicans are investigating Jan. 6 and the work of the now-defunct Democrat-led Jan. 6 committee (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File)

“Had they gotten there at the time when the request was made, it’s arguable that lives could have been saved because there were some deaths by people being trampled, the crowd outside. With the National Guard showing up, I think it wouldn’t even require the engagement. I think the visual of the National Guard showing up, coming off buses in riot gear, would have been enough to suppress a lot of the violence that was happening.”

Pelosi’s office responded in a statement to Fox News Digital, “Loudermilk is absolutely correct that, had there not been an inexplicable delay, the National Guard response could have saved lives with its response. The request for National Guard response was absolutely made early enough to limit the damage done on that day. The problem is, the authorities responsible in the Pentagon — and ultimately, in the White House — dragged their feet.”

Pelosi and other Democrats had blamed Trump for the delays in sending in the National Guard for roughly three hours while Capitol Police and Washington, D.C., law enforcement were fighting to keep the ex-president’s supporters from harming lawmakers.

Trump had previously blamed Pelosi for the delay, but she would not have had the authority to call in federal troops. Pelosi’s office has also previously pushed back on any blame.

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Rep. Barry Loudermilk, R-Ga., is leading the House GOP’s investigation. (Getty images)

Loudermilk told Fox News Digital that, based on the investigation, it appears military officials under the Defense Secretary were to blame. He accused them of “without a doubt” acting in direct contradiction to Trump’s wishes.

“He had already delegated that authority to the Secretary of Defense,” Loudermilk said.

Pelosi’s office claimed, however, that Trump “did not” do so. 

“At any point during the attack on the Capitol, Trump could have ordered a D.C. National Guard response,” Pelosi’s office said. “He didn’t.”

Loudermilk’s panel released 45 minutes of footage taken by Pelosi’s daughter, Alexandra Pelosi, for an HBO documentary, but which was not previously released, earlier this week.

Clips viewed by Fox News Digital showed military officials and others assuring lawmakers who had been evacuated to Fort McNair that the National Guard had been activated but could not explain the delay.

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Loudermilk said former President Trump is not to blame for the National Guard delay (Felipe Ramales for Fox News Digital)

One video shows Pelosi’s exchange with a military official in the 3 p.m. hour Jan. 6, 2021, who told her the National Guard had been activated.

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Another clip appears to show the Pelosi on the phone with D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, who said that Trump chief of staff Mark Meadows pledged any support needed to deal with the protests.

“The Trump administration, from all the evidence that we’re gathering, was doing everything that they could to make sure that there was plenty of security,” Loudermilk said.

Fox News Digital reached out to Bowser’s office for comment.