1. Donald Trump: driven by narcissistic stolen election delusion, raised a mob to prevent the peaceful transfer of power - Trump had the power to call this off and chose not to. Begged by his party, staff, and family he waited hours to tepidly do so - Trump was absent from critical decision making - A presidential order could have bypassed complex approval process and his dereliction of duties slowed the response. - Vice President Mike Pence had to lead the country through the crisis by coordinating with DoD and Capitol Police 1. DOD = Chris Miller (acting Secretary of Defense) + Ryan McCarthy (Secretary of the Army): - mistake: delayed National Guard deployment. Concerned about optics over safety - restrictions on National Guard equipment and response capabilities - burdensome approval - Secretary of the Army and the Secretary of Defense approval needed to respond to civil disturbances - Secretary of the Defense approval needed for use of weapons, helmets, body armor, or riot control agents - DoD slow to coordinate with law enforcement and give order to D.C. National Guard 2. Steven Sund (Capitol Police Chief): inadequate preparation (no riot gear/training) and delayed requests for National Guard assistance 3. Paul Irving (House Sergeant at Arms): was influenced by political considerations and did not adequately prepare the Capitol for potential violence. #### Responsibility for Peaceful Transfer of Power - President: authority over federal resources including military - DoD: control civil unrest - Capitol police: securing the Capitol - congress: request support and provide situational updates #### Doesn't Matter - if Trump wanted national guard there to "do whatever was necessary to protect the demonstrators". The DoD dropped the ball. #### Timeline ##### Mine - **January 3, 2021**: President Donald Trump directed Acting Secretary of Defense Christopher Miller to "do whatever was necessary to `protect the demonstrators`". He never gave a direct order. ###### Jan 6 - 13:26 - Capitol Police ordered evacuation of Capitol complex - 14:00 - capitol breached - 15:04 - Pentagon officials verbally approved the deployment - 16:17 - Trump released video asking rioters to go home, while still claiming election was stolen - 17:08 - DoD ordered 1100 national guard troop deployment - 17:40 - national guard troops arrive at capitol - 20:06 - Capitol building declared secure ##### Other Sources [[timeline of the government’s response on jan. 6 - american oversight]] [Republican-led Committee on House Administration](https://cha.house.gov/2024/9/transcripts-show-president-trump-s-directives-to-pentagon-leadership-to-keep-january-6-safe-were-deliberately-ignored): 4- (republican Leaning): It emphasizes the failure of Pentagon leadership and their prioritization of "optics" over safety, indirectly questioning the efficacy and decisions of Democratic leadership by pointing to their actions as being responsible for delays and issues. The statement positions the Trump administration as taking responsible action to ensure safety, with a critical view of how others in the government handled the situation, particularly regarding the National Guard deployment. [american oversight](https://americanoversight.org/resource/a-timeline-of-the-governments-response-on-jan-6-2021/) : 2-(Democratic Leaning): While the timeline includes objective details from government agencies, the framing of Trump’s rhetoric, delayed law enforcement response, and questioning of accountability heavily align with a Democratic perspective. The focus on federal failure to act, along with repeated calls for action against Trump’s actions, skews it towards Democratic interpretation. However, it does contain neutral facts that allow room for Republican counter-narratives. [npr](https://www.npr.org/2022/01/05/1069977469/a-timeline-of-how-the-jan-6-attack-unfolded-including-who-said-what-and-when): 3-(Neutral): This timeline is fairly balanced and reflects both Democratic and Republican viewpoints without overtly favoring one side. It presents key actions by Trump and his supporters, including his rally speech, tweets, and delays in response, along with perspectives from Republican lawmakers like Mitch McConnell and Lindsey Graham. While it highlights Trump’s inflammatory rhetoric and the chaos at the Capitol, it does not explicitly assign blame or make strong political conclusions, allowing readers to draw their own interpretations. This neutrality is reflected in the timeline’s inclusion of both Trump’s and Pence’s actions, as well as the reactions from various political figures across the spectrum. [bbc](https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-56004916): 2-(Democratic Leaning): This timeline leans slightly toward a Democratic perspective, primarily in its framing of Trump’s actions and words, as well as the detailed focus on the violence and threats to lawmakers. The inclusion of the Proud Boys and references to Trump's inflammatory rhetoric, like his tweets and rally speech, contribute to the view of him as inciting the violence. The timeline highlights the chaos and the immediate threat to lawmakers, with a strong emphasis on the rioters' actions and the danger to figures like Vice President Pence and Speaker Pelosi. However, it does present some moments of neutral reporting, such as the inclusion of actions taken by both Democratic and Republican figures, like Mitch McConnell's statements. The timeline does not overtly emphasize partisan defense of Trump, but it illustrates his delayed response and lack of condemnation until later, which aligns with a more critical view typically seen in Democratic commentary. [January 6th Select Committee Report](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GPO-J6-DOC-CTRL0000000056/pdf/GPO-J6-DOC-CTRL0000000056.pd : 3-(Neutral): This timeline is presented as an objective, detailed account of the events leading up to and during the January 6th Capitol attack. It includes factual information about the actions and decisions made by various law enforcement agencies, intelligence reports, and operational plans. While it mentions the involvement of pro-Trump groups and highlights the tense political environment, the document refrains from attributing direct blame to any individual or political group. The focus is on the operational response and coordination efforts, without strong partisan interpretations, allowing for both Democratic and Republican perspectives to be considered based on the provided facts. [DoD Planning and Execution Timeline for the National Guard’s Involvement in the January 6, 2021 Violent Attack at the U.S. Capitol](https://media.defense.gov/2021/Jan/11/2002563151/-1/-1/0/PLANNING-AND-EXECUTION-TIMELINE-FOR-THE-NATIONAL-GUARDS-INVOLVEMENT-IN-THE-JANUARY-6-2021-VIOLENT-ATTACK-AT-THE-US-CAPITOL.PDF): 4-(Republican Leaning): This timeline emphasizes the operational and procedural aspects of the Department of Defense's response to the January 6th events, focusing on the activation and mobilization of the National Guard and the coordination with local law enforcement. The timeline presents a narrative in which the delay in deploying the National Guard appears due to bureaucratic processes rather than political interference. The absence of direct criticism of Trump and the framing of the military’s actions as a necessary response to law enforcement's needs suggest a focus on logistical failures rather than partisan fault. While the timeline includes certain requests for additional support and some details on tensions regarding the pace of mobilization, it generally avoids emphasizing the role of rhetoric or responsibility from political figures. [aljazeera](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/1/9/timeline-capitol-hill-riots): 2-(Democratic Leaning): The timeline emphasizes the direct involvement of President Trump, particularly through his rhetoric and actions, which is in line with a Democratic narrative that points to his role in instigating the violence. The timeline reflects the confusion and violence at the Capitol and the delayed responses, especially in terms of the National Guard deployment, which is often framed as a result of Trump’s failure to act decisively. The inclusion of his tweet urging his supporters to "remain peaceful" follows after key violent incidents, which can be interpreted as a late response. While it does contain factual information on the law enforcement actions, such as the curfew and National Guard deployment, the overall focus on Trump’s role and the emphasis on the immediate chaos aligns the timeline more closely with a Democratic perspective. [fact check](https://www.factcheck.org/2021/01/timeline-of-national-guard-deployment-to-capitol/): 3-(Neutral): This timeline provides a detailed, factual account of the events leading up to and during the January 6th Capitol riot, with a focus on the deployment of the National Guard. It documents the requests for National Guard support, the delays in activation, and the eventual deployment of forces to assist law enforcement. The article mentions President Trump's role, particularly in his claims of having immediately deployed the National Guard, but it also highlights the bureaucratic processes and challenges faced in getting approval for deployment. The timeline does not strongly favor any party but rather focuses on the factual sequence of events and the internal communication within the Department of Defense and local authorities. It provides room for both Democratic and Republican interpretations, particularly regarding the delays in the Guard's mobilization and the role of political figures in those decisions. ###### Partisanship Scale - **Strongly Democratic (1)**: The actions and interpretations strongly align with Democratic narratives, emphasizing accountability, the role of Trump’s rhetoric, and government failure to prevent the violence. - **Democratic Leaning (2)**: The actions and interpretations reflect some Democratic viewpoints, such as the delayed response from law enforcement and Trump’s incitement, but there may be some neutral or balanced aspects. - **Neutral (3)**: The timeline and events are presented without strong alignment to either party. It reflects facts and actions as recorded, without partisan interpretation. - **Republican Leaning (4)**: The timeline may emphasize law enforcement failures or actions that could be interpreted as unfair targeting of Trump’s supporters, with less focus on his responsibility for the violence. - **Strongly Republican (5)**: The events are framed as a largely legitimate protest or riot provoked by external factors, downplaying Trump’s role and focusing on perceived overreaction from law enforcement or Democrats. #### Facts - 2020 election day national guard: [250/600](https://www.stripes.com/branches/army/2024-11-05/national-guard-presidential-election-15746827.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com) (active/standby), primarily for cybersecurity missions and some security duties. - Jan 6th, 340 unarmed national guard troops, 1,100 Guard troops deployed after riot - inauguration national guard troops 2009 10k, 2013 6k, 2017 8k, 2021 26k