In a dramatic Senate session that has since gone viral, Republican Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) unleashed a fierce interrogation of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi\u2019s handling of National Guard deployment on January 6, 2021. The exchange, captured on video during FBI Director Kash Patel\u2019s confirmation hearings, has quickly become a focal point for critics of Pelosi\u2019s decisions on Capitol security that day.<\/p>\n
A Revealing Testimony
\nDuring the hearing, Kash Patel, then chief of staff to the acting Secretary of Defense Christopher C. Miller, was grilled by Cruz regarding the events leading up to the Capitol riot. When asked about the timeline for National Guard mobilization, Patel recalled that, in response to an unrelated national security matter, he and his team were in the Oval Office discussing the possibility of deploying up to 20,000 National Guard personnel. \u201cWe were preparing days in advance, working at the highest levels of government, to secure the Capitol should a lawful request be made,\u201d Patel explained.<\/p>\n
Cruz pressed on, questioning how often the Department of Defense (DOD) had proactively approached the Capitol Police regarding the need for additional support. Patel confirmed that there were numerous instances when such offers were made. However, every time, those requests were declined. \u201cOn one occasion, the House Sergeant at Arms\u2014who, as you know, reports directly to the Speaker of the House\u2014rejected our proposal for deploying troops,\u201d Patel said.<\/p>\n
Cruz then directly linked this decision to Nancy Pelosi. \u201cAnd who did the Sergeant at Arms report to?\u201d Cruz asked. When Patel affirmed that the report went to then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Cruz\u2019s tone became even more pointed. \u201cThat would have been Pelosi at the time. Is that correct?\u201d Patel confirmed, leaving little doubt that Pelosi was at the center of the decision-making process.<\/p>\n
Further fueling the exchange, Cruz questioned whether Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser had either requested or allowed National Guard assistance. Patel revealed that Bowser had submitted a formal declination for additional support in writing. \u201cTo put it plainly for our viewers, a declination means she said, \u2018No, don\u2019t send the National Guard,\u2019\u201d Patel clarified.<\/p>\n
The Mic Drop Moment
\nThe intensity of Cruz\u2019s questioning culminated in what many are calling a \u201cmic drop\u201d moment. By highlighting Pelosi\u2019s refusal to authorize the deployment of National Guard troops, Cruz underscored his view that her decision left the Capitol dangerously vulnerable. This line of inquiry drew echoes from other former officials. Notably, testimony from former U.S. Capitol Police chief Steven Sund, delivered before the House Oversight Committee in October 2023, similarly condemned the rejection of troop support as a \u201cgame-changer\u201d that could have significantly altered the course of the events on January 6.<\/p>\n
Sund recounted that three days before the riot, a request to deploy hundreds of National Guard soldiers was sent to House Sergeant at Arms Paul Irving, only to be dismissed with the comment that Pelosi \u201cwould never go for it.\u201d This sentiment, echoed by Cruz\u2019s relentless questioning, paints a damning picture of missed opportunities to secure the Capitol during a time of national crisis.<\/p>\n
\nHoly sh*t. Ted Cruz questioned Kash Patel about Nancy Pelosi\u2019s actions on January 6.<\/p>\n
Accountability is coming. pic.twitter.com\/pQxLMdfBod<\/a><\/p>\n
— Gunther Eagleman\u2122 (@GuntherEagleman) January 30, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n