A heated clash erupted between former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and ex-Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund, reopening wounds from the January 6 Capitol riot.
Pelosi criticized Trump’s federal security crackdown in D.C., linking it to what she called his “delay” in sending the National Guard on January 6. But Sund, who resigned after the riot, hit back with a detailed rebuttal.
He revealed that he had formally requested Guard support on January 3, 2021, but Pelosi’s Sergeant at Arms rejected it. Sund said Pentagon officials even offered troops, but he lacked the legal authority to accept without congressional approval.
On the day of the riot, Sund claims his urgent requests were delayed over 70 minutes, leaving the Capitol vulnerable. He accused Pelosi of later embracing extreme security—razor wire fencing and thousands of Guard troops—for political theater.
The confrontation highlights deep divisions over who bears responsibility for January 6, with Sund’s account shifting blame toward congressional leadership and fueling Republican arguments for broader security reforms.
