Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is facing public pushback from Steven Sund, the former U.S. Capitol Police Chief, over her claims that Donald Trump delayed National Guard deployment during the January 6 Capitol riot. Pelosi criticized Trump for activating the D.C. National Guard and taking federal control of local policing, calling it a distraction from his policy failures. She also accused him of inaction during the Capitol attack.

Sund responded forcefully, stating that he had formally requested National Guard support on January 3, 2021, but was denied by Pelosi’s own Sergeant at Arms. Under federal law, Sund explained, he lacked the authority to deploy troops without that approval. Even as the riot unfolded, Sund said his repeated pleas for backup were stalled for over an hour while the request was “run up the chain” to Pelosi. Continues…