WASHINGTON -Today, the Committee on House Administration's Subcommittee on Oversight Chairman Barry Loudermilk (GA-11) released transcripts of interviews conducted by the Department of Defense (DoD) Inspector General (IG) that contradict the findings published in their January 6 report, “Review of the DoD’s Role, Responsibilities, and Actions to Prepare for and Respond to the Protest and its Aftermath at the U.S. Capitol Campus on January 6, 2021.”

In their report, the DoD IG claims that the actions at the Pentagon were “reasonable in light of the circumstances” at the Capitol on January 6, 2021. The IG also determined that “DoD officials did not delay or obstruct the DoD’s response to the [U.S. Capitol Police’s] [Request for Assistance] on January 6, 2021.” The Subcommittee’s investigation into the delayed National Guard response on January 6, including these newly obtained witness transcripts, suggest the exact opposite. 

Previously concealed by the Biden-Harris Administration for over three years, these transcripts indicate that senior Pentagon officials unnecessarily delayed the DC National Guard response to the Capitol on January 6 due to “optics” concerns, and reveal that President Trump urged his senior military leaders to prioritize safety.

Following the release of these transcripts, Oversight Subcommittee Chairman Barry Loudermilk, House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers (AL-03), and former Major General William Walker of the D.C. National Guard, released the following statements:

Chairman Loudermilk: 
“The fact that an IG report can be used to manipulate a historical narrative to protect the very Department it’s tasked with overseeing is deeply concerning. The men and women of the National Guard who put their lives on the line to protect our nation deserve the truth.  
"Through our investigation, we know that the National Guard was capable and ready to deploy to the U.S. Capitol at 3 pm on January 6, but their response was delayed by senior Pentagon leaders. These new transcripts prove that not only were political concerns of ‘optics’ at play on January 6, 2021, but that DoD officials continued to delay as the riot at the Capitol worsened. DoD officials also misled Congress, telling then-Speaker Pelosi at 3:19 pm that the National Guard was 'on the way.'
"It is abundantly clear that the DoD IG’s report protects a preconceived narrative to safeguard their own interests, instead of being based on facts. As we continue the critical work of our investigation, we will not waver from our goal of ensuring the American people get the full truth.”

Former Major General Walker:
“After four decades of service, I firmly believed in the Army values and had an expectation of character, decisiveness, and integrity in all situations from my Army leaders and especially senior leaders. That expectation was shattered on January 6, 2021. 
"The D.C. National Guard has a history of success supporting both the federal government and the city government responding to civil unrest. On January 6, we had to wait for authorization from the Pentagon. We were out there, we were ready, and we were prepared. We are the Capital Guardians. That’s what we do.”

Chairman Rogers:
“Rep. Loudermilk has remained committed to ensuring the American people have a full accounting of the events and timeline of January 6, 2021. I am glad the Armed Services Committee was able to provide support for Rep. Loudermilk’s investigation and I thank him for his efforts to conduct rigorous oversight.”

KEY TRANSCRIPT EXCERPTS: 

General Mark Milley, then-Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

1. “[January 3, 2021] The President just says, ‘Hey, look at this. There’s going to be a large amount of protesters here on the 6th, make sure that you have sufficient National Guard or Soldiers to make sure it’s a safe event.’”
2. “[POTUS says,] ‘Hey, I don’t care if you use Guard, or Soldiers, active duty Soldiers, do whatever you have to do. Just make sure it’s safe.’”

1. “[On January 6, 2021] everyone was like, “Did you listen to the President’s speech?” I’m like “The guy speaks for 90 minutes it’s like Castro or something.” No, I’ve got work to do.”
2. “I was cognizant of the fears that the President would invoke the Insurrection Act to politicize the military in an anti-democratic manner. And, just before the Electoral College certification, 10 former Secretaries of Defense signed an op-ed piece published in The Washington Post warning of the dangers of politicizing and using inappropriately the military. No such thing was going to occur on my watch.”
3. “There was absolutely -- there is absolutely no way I was putting U.S. military forces at the Capitol, period.”
4. “The operational plan was this, let’s take the D.C. National Guard, keep them away from the Capitol.”

Click here to read the full transcripts.

Background:

On November 16, 2021, the DoD IG released a report titled, “Review of the Department of Defense’s Role, Responsibilities, and Actions to Prepare for and Respond to the Protest and its Aftermath at the U.S. Capitol Campus on January 6, 2021." This report was the final product of the DoD IG’s investigation into the events of January 6, 2021.

Throughout our investigation, the Subcommittee has found significant irregularities in the DoD IG report, including statements attributed to witnesses who subsequently informed the Subcommittee that the witness did not make these statements, as well as glaring inconsistencies regarding the deployment of the D.C. National Guard (DCNG). From our review of phone records, timelines, firsthand accounts, sworn testimonies, and after-action reports, there is considerable evidence pointing to an intentional delay at the DoD in either deploying the National Guard, or communicating the deployment order. To address the communication and security gaps experienced on January 6, 2021 between the DoD and Congress, the Subcommittee continues to pursue the transparency the American people deserve.  

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