Washington, D.C. – Former U.S. Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund has sharply criticized former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D–Calif.) for what he calls misleading and dishonest statements regarding the deployment of the National Guard during the January 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol.

Sund’s comments, made in a Monday post on X, were a direct rebuttal to Pelosi’s recent claim that former President Donald Trump “delayed deploying” the National Guard during the riot. Pelosi’s remarks came in the context of her criticism of Trump’s current activation of the D.C. Guard, which she described as a political distraction.

Sund’s Account: Repeated Denials and Delays

In his post, Sund accused Pelosi and her office of blocking his requests for National Guard assistance both before and during the attack.

“Ma’am, it is long past time to be honest with the American people. On January 3, I requested National Guard assistance, but your Sergeant at Arms denied it,” Sund wrote. “Under federal law (2 U.S.C. §1970), I was prohibited from calling them in without specific approval. That same day, Carol Corbin at the Pentagon offered National Guard support, but I was forced to decline because I lacked the legal authority.”

According to Sund, the critical delay happened on January 6 itself.

“While the Capitol was under attack and despite my repeated calls, your Sergeant at Arms again denied my urgent requests for over 70 agonizing minutes, ‘running it up the chain’ for your approval.”

 

While Sund did not name specific individuals in his latest remarks, he has previously stated that Paul Irving, then-House Sergeant at Arms, rejected his initial request over concerns about “optics.” Alongside Sund, Irving and Senate Sergeant at Arms Michael Stenger resigned in the immediate aftermath of the riot. Stenger died in June 2022.

Sund also pointed out what he sees as hypocrisy in Pelosi’s actions after January 6:

“When I needed assistance, it was denied. Yet when it suited you, you ordered fencing topped with concertina wire and surrounded the Capitol with thousands of armed National Guard troops.”

 

Pelosi’s Position and Response History

Pelosi has publicly stated she takes “full responsibility” for the Capitol’s security failures on January 6. In her Monday post that triggered Sund’s response, she again accused Trump of inaction:

“Donald Trump delayed deploying the National Guard on January 6th when our Capitol was under violent attack and lives were at stake. Now, he’s activating the D.C. Guard to distract from his incompetent mishandling of tariffs, health care, education, and immigration — just to name a few blunders.”

Sund’s version of events directly contradicts Pelosi’s framing, reviving a contentious debate over who held the authority — and the responsibility — to call in military backup during the riot.

Ongoing Debate Over Jan. 6 Security Failures

The question of who was ultimately responsible for the delayed National Guard deployment remains politically explosive. Republicans have long argued that security missteps by congressional leadership played a role, while Democrats continue to emphasize Trump’s alleged inaction and the role of his supporters in the violence.