Former U.S. Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund is calling out Nancy Pelosi, accusing the former House Speaker of blocking National Guard support ahead of the January 6 riot — while now criticizing Donald Trump for deploying them in Washington, D.C.
Pelosi Criticizes Trump’s New Crime Crackdown in Washington
On Monday, President Donald Trump announced an aggressive federal crime initiative in Washington, D.C., giving him direct control of the Metropolitan Police Department for 30 days under the Home Rule Act. The plan includes activating the D.C. National Guard to assist with street patrols and combat rising crime.
Pelosi quickly blasted the move, accusing Trump of hypocrisy.
“Donald Trump delayed deploying the National Guard on January 6th when our Capitol was under violent attack,” Pelosi said, claiming his new deployment is meant to “distract from his failures” on tariffs, health care, education, and immigration.
Sund Fires Back — “It’s Time to Tell the Truth”
Steven Sund, who resigned shortly after the January 6 attack, wasted no time responding. In a strongly worded statement, Sund accused Pelosi of misleading the public about who blocked National Guard assistance that day.
Sund says that on January 3, 2021 — three days before the riot — he formally requested Guard support, but Pelosi’s own Sergeant at Arms denied the request. Federal law (2 U.S.C. §1970) required her office’s approval before he could accept military assistance. Even when a Pentagon official offered troops, Sund says he was forced to decline.
On January 6, as chaos unfolded, Sund claims he begged again for help — only to be delayed for more than an hour while requests were “run up the chain” to Pelosi for authorization.
Why did Nancy Pelosi REALLY have a film crew recording her at the Capitol on January 6th?
— Gain of Fauci (@DschlopesIsBack) August 3, 2025
Pelosi: “I've been waiting for this… for trespassing on the Capitol grounds.”
Why was she expecting this to happen? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/QUoQ91Ffto
Accusations of Hypocrisy
Sund pointed out that Pelosi later approved extreme security measures, including miles of fencing topped with razor wire and thousands of National Guard troops around the Capitol.
“When I needed assistance, it was denied. Yet when it suited you, you ordered the strongest security measures possible,” Sund said.
Footage from an HBO documentary filmed by Pelosi’s daughter shows the former Speaker saying she wanted Trump to come to the Capitol on January 6 so she could “punch him out” and “go to jail happy.”
Trump’s “Liberation Day” for the Capital
Trump defended his new order as necessary to take back the streets from “violent gangs” and “drugged-out maniacs.” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed that Guard units from D.C. and other states will arrive within days to serve as “force multipliers” for police.
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser called the takeover “unsettling” but said she would comply. Critics, however, pointed out that Bowser previously discouraged extra federal forces ahead of January 6, despite warnings.
The Battle Over January 6 Responsibility
The dispute over National Guard delays on January 6 has been politically charged for years. Democrats have blamed Trump, while he and his allies insist congressional leadership — including Pelosi — controlled the decision-making. Records show Trump had pre-authorized up to 10,000 Guard troops before the event.
With Trump back in the Oval Office and asserting direct control over Washington’s police force, the political fight over January 6 is back in the headlines — and Sund is making it clear he won’t let Pelosi’s version of events go unchallenged.
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