Kash Patel, a former Trump administration aide, has refuted claims that President Trump deliberately chose not to call up the National Guard during the January 6 attacks or delayed the approval of their deployments. Patel provided testimony in the former president’s 14th Amendment case in Colorado, asserting that it was actually D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser who delayed calls for the National Guard in the days leading up to the riot.
According to Patel, Mayor Bowser had written a letter on January 4, declining further requests for National Guard services beyond the 346 Guardsmen already authorized. Patel stated that the authorization had been relayed to the appropriate officials in D.C. and the Capitol Police, but was declined. It was only when the request finally came in on January 6 that they took action.
Patel made these arguments during the third day of the Colorado hearings, which are examining whether Trump’s involvement in the January 6 attacks warrants his removal from the 2024 presidential ballot based on the 14th Amendment.
Patel further claimed that Trump had authorized the deployment of 10,000 to 20,000 National Guard troops to support law enforcement, as witnessed in multiple meetings. However, this contradicts findings from the Department of Defense, which were published nearly two years after the events of January 6. The report states that Trump never ordered troop deployments or instructed any federal law enforcement agency to assist.
Additionally, Patel’s testimony contradicts statements made by Christopher Miller, the acting Defense Secretary during the attacks, who testified before the House Jan. 6 committee that no order was given to prepare at least 10,000 National Guard troops.
In the Colorado case, attorneys for Trump’s campaign called Patel as their first witness. Patel currently serves as an adviser to the former president on national security issues and is also a board member for Trump’s media company.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, you can visit The Hill.
