In a meeting with acting Defense secretary Christoper Miller, Donald Trump approves D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser’s request for National Guard at the Capitol on January 6, to protect his supporters.
He asked if there were any requests for National Guard support, and I informed him of Mayor Bowser’s request… [He said to] fill it and do whatever was necessary to protect the demonstrators that were executing their constitutionally protected rights.
Christopher Miller
Miller doesn’t approve the request. Instead, he tells the Army that if any guardsmen are authorized, then they are not allowed to be armed. On January 6, he waits over 90 minutes to send in troops while the Capitol is under attack.
In testimony on May 12, Miller claims he was afraid that troops in D.C. would ignite fears “that the President would invoke the Insurrection Act to politicize the military in an anti-democratic manner.” Lawmakers point out that either he disobeyed the president or the president changed his orders.
Sir, she requested additional support from you. And during that 1.5 hours either you disobeyed an order given to you by the president to help Mayor Bowser, or the president changed his order and asked you to delay the support, or you just plain froze and were being indecisive as people were being injured, killed, while hundreds of rioters breached the Capitol and a nation was traumatized.
Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi
External Sources
Photo: Public Domain