In his first network interview since leaving office, former US President Donald Trump asserted that former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi bears responsibility for the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot.
During a recent interview with NBC’s “Meet the Press” host Kristen Welker at his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, Trump stated, “Nancy Pelosi was in charge of security. She turned down 10,000 soldiers. If she didn’t turn down the soldiers, you wouldn’t have had Jan. 6.”
The January 6, 2021, incident saw a mob of Trump supporters attack the United States Capitol following President Trump’s defeat in the 2020 presidential election. The mob aimed to keep Trump in power by preventing Congress from formally counting the Electoral College votes that affirmed President-elect Joe Biden’s victory.
When asked if he had called military or law enforcement that day, Trump declined to answer, asserting, “I behaved so well, I did such a good job, Nancy Pelosi turned down 10,000 soldiers … if she didn’t do that …” However, Welker challenged Trump, pointing out that Pelosi did not have the authority he possessed as commander in chief.
Trump responded by saying, “I understand that the police testified against her, the chief very strongly against her, the Capitol police, great people. They testified against her, and they burned all the evidence. OK? They burned all the evidence. They destroyed all the evidence about Nancy Pelosi.”
He added, “She has authority over the Capitol. National Guard not coming? I asked her [for them] to be there three days in advance, and she turned it down.”
Welker interjected, stating that Pelosi had claimed that the request was never officially made.
Trump continued, “The mayor of D.C. gave us a letter saying that she turned it down. OK, we have it. Nancy Pelosi also was asked, and she turned it down. The police commissioner of Capitol police…” Trump asserted that Pelosi is responsible for the events of January 6 and criticized the Jan. 6 Committee for not interviewing her.
Responding to Trump’s claims, a spokesperson for Pelosi stated, “As our office has said before, the former president’s allegations are completely made up.” The spokesperson emphasized that numerous independent fact-checkers have confirmed that Speaker Pelosi did not plan her own assassination.