Former Capitol Police Chief Challenges Pelosi’s Account of January 6 Security Decisions

Former Capitol Police Chief Steve Sund has publicly challenged former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s version of events surrounding the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot. In a detailed post shared Wednesday, Sund released a timeline that disputes Pelosi’s account of how National Guard deployment requests were handled, reigniting debate over the government’s preparedness during the attack.

The clash followed a tense encounter earlier that day, when reporter Alison Steinberg confronted Pelosi outside the Capitol about alleged delays in Guard approval. Pelosi forcefully denied the accusation, shouting, “SHUT UP! I did not refuse the National Guard. The President didn’t send it.” She blamed former President Donald Trump for the delayed response.

Sund, however, countered that claim on X, asserting that Pelosi’s Sergeant at Arms repeatedly denied his requests for National Guard assistance before and during the riot. He said urgent pleas were delayed for over 70 minutes as approval was “run up the chain.”

He added that while the Pentagon was ready to help, he lacked the legal authority to accept assistance without congressional authorization, as required by federal law. This, Sund said, hindered officers’ ability to respond to the chaos effectively.

Pelosi has maintained that her office acted appropriately, but Sund’s account points to internal delays and communication breakdowns. Analysts note that overlapping chains of command between the Capitol Police, Congress, and the Pentagon complicated decision-making.

Sund’s revelations have revived political arguments about accountability for January 6, with Republicans citing his account as evidence of leadership failure.

Ultimately, his timeline underscores lingering tensions over how to interpret and learn from one of the most chaotic days in modern U.S. political history.