Trump and his defenders have repeatedly claimed that the violence at the Capitol two years ago would have been prevented if only his order for 10,000 troops had been heeded. We have explored this claim
twice before and
debunked it, each time awarding Four Pinocchios.
But now the
Jan. 6 committee has released
its report and dozens of transcribed interviews that provide new details on the meetings in which Trump claims he requested troops at the Capitol.
Trump, in his post, says he made a “recommendation for troops” and that then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) failed to act on it. But the evidence shows Trump did not issue any formal request — so there was nothing for Pelosi to heed. The committee report says it found “no evidence” to support the claim that he ordered 10,000 troops.
Moreover, the committee said that when he referenced so many troops, it was not because he wanted to protect the Capitol. He “floated the idea of having 10,000 National Guardsmen deployed to protect him and his supporters from any supposed threats by left-wing counterprotesters,” the report said.......
Jan. 4 meeting with Pierson
During a meeting with Katrina Pierson, who was organizing Trump’s rally on the Mall, the president expressed a desire to march with his supporters to the Capitol,
she told investigators.
White House senior adviser Max Miller
said he “shot it down immediately” because of concerns for Trump’s safety. Trump then suggested 10,000 National Guardsmen could protect him and his supporters — a figure that Pierson recorded. “I opened my folder and wrote down 10,000 National Guard, closed my folder again,” she recalled. (Miller did not recall the number.)
Miller replied: “We should only call the Guard if we expect a problem.”
Trump asked: “Well, are we going to expect a problem?”
After the meeting, Miller texted Pierson, “Just glad we killed the national guard and a procession.” Pierson responded with a heart emoji.
Read the last sentence. " “Just glad we killed the national guard and a procession.” That was from the Trump team.
The biggest revisionism is from Trump supporters.
BTW,
....“Could the president have picked up the phone, called the secretary of defense, and said, you know, ‘What’s going on here?’ Our law enforcement is getting overrun, make this happen!’” a committee staffer asked Brooks, according to the transcript of a previously unreported March 14 interview reviewed by POLITICO......
But Trump never called any military leaders on Jan. 6, per testimony from senior administration officials to the Jan. 6 select committee — a fact that the panel emphasized in its final report that concluded Trump was uniquely responsible for the violent Capitol attack by his supporters. Rather, he was observing the riot on TV and calling allies in his quest to subvert the 2020 election, as outlined by committee witnesses and White House records.
Trump failed to respond to the violence. It seems he wanted it. He is not fit to be president.