Recently released interviews surrounding the January 6th, 2021 Capitol breach have revealed significant new details about President Trump’s efforts to deploy National Guard troops in an attempt to quell unrest. Congressman Barry Loudermilk (R-GA) shared bombshell testimony on Thursday from an investigation into Trump’s actions during the Capitol riots, indicating that Trump had requested additional military support but was rebuffed.
According to transcripts obtained by the House GOP, General Mark Milley, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, testified that Trump pre-approved the deployment of the National Guard ahead of January 6. In an interview with the Pentagon’s inspector general, Milley recalled Trump’s specific instructions: “The President just says, ‘Hey look at this. It’s going to be a large amount of protesters come in here on the 6th, and make sure that you have sufficient National Guard or Soldiers to make sure it’s a safe event.’”
Milley also testified that then-acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller assured Trump that the Pentagon had a plan in place. However, Miller later admitted that political concerns affected the deployment strategy, particularly the decision to keep National Guardsmen away from the Capitol building itself. The initial plan, which had been approved by Democratic D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, focused on using the National Guard for traffic control rather than security at the Capitol.
“There was a political calculation to keep troops away from Congress,” Miller explained. “It wasn’t the optics. It was like there was… would have been huge political consequences for that.” Former D.C. Police Chief Robert Contee also testified that Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy resisted placing troops around the Capitol, citing concerns over “bad optics.”
Loudermilk, in response, voiced his concern over the political nature of the decision-making process. “President Trump directed senior DoD leaders to ensure events on J6 be safe. They ignored his guidance, prioritized optics concerns over security, and pushed a flawed narrative,” Loudermilk wrote on X.
The decision to limit the role of the National Guard delayed their deployment as violence escalated on January 6. Despite Trump’s earlier calls for security, McCarthy eventually approved the deployment of 400 Guardsmen, but explicitly restricted them from using force against protesters. These restrictions included prohibitions on issuing weapons or body armor to Guardsmen, as outlined in McCarthy’s December 2020 memorandum.
As the riot unfolded and chaos spread, the Pentagon took several hours to deploy additional troops, a delay that proved costly. Before reinforcements could arrive, Trump supporter Ashlee Babbitt was shot and killed by a Capitol police officer as rioters breached the building. Investigators have since confirmed that McCarthy’s decision to limit the use of force was influenced by political considerations, with officials acknowledging that the term “optics” played a major role in the planning.
In a separate interview, DC Homeland Security Coordinator Christopher Rodriguez recalled being “shocked” when Army officials prioritized political concerns over immediate security needs. “It shocked me quite frankly,” Rodriguez said of the call where optics were discussed. “We recognize that we might not be able to get an answer to getting needed support up to the Capitol in a timely fashion.”
Despite these delays, the Pentagon’s inspector general concluded that military leaders acted quickly to suppress the violence. But Congressman Loudermilk remains skeptical, stating that “The DC National Guard was significantly delayed from deploying to the U.S. Capitol on J6 because senior DoD leaders had ‘optics’ concerns.”
Further complicating the narrative, former Defense Secretary Miller testified that Trump mentioned the need for “10,000 troops” for the January 6th protests. However, Miller dismissed the comment as “presidential banter.” General Milley, meanwhile, denied that Trump ever requested such a large force.
The interviews also revealed a strained relationship between Trump and military leadership. At one point, Miller compared Trump’s speeches to those of Cuban dictator Fidel Castro, stating, “The guy speaks for 90 minutes, it’s like Castro or something. No. I’ve got work to do.”
These revelations add a new layer of complexity to the events leading up to the Capitol breach, painting a picture of political calculations, delayed responses, and deep divisions between Trump and military leaders. As the investigation continues, Loudermilk and House Republicans are pressing for a full accounting of the decisions made on that pivotal day. “The American people deserve the full truth,” Loudermilk wrote, underscoring the need for further scrutiny into the actions of military and government officials surrounding January 6.
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