Politician · event

Pete Hegseth on January 6th

Questioned on response (moderate)

TL;DR

Pete Hegseth supports the National Guard request made by the former president but avoided directly backing the National Guard deployment on January 6th.

Key Points

He stated that he supports the decision the former president made to request the National Guard for January 6th, which he claims was denied.
During a confirmation hearing, he avoided a direct answer when asked if he supported the decision to deploy the National Guard to defend the Capitol on January 6th.
Peers in the National Guard reportedly did not trust him during the post-January 6th security period, as noted during background review discussions.

Summary

Pete Hegseth's position regarding the events of January 6th, 2021, has been characterized by his defense of the actions of the former president and a notable refusal to directly endorse the decision to deploy the National Guard to defend the Capitol that day. During questioning before a Senate committee in his capacity as Defense Secretary nominee, Hegseth was pressed to confirm whether he supported the decision to call in the National Guard to quell the riot. He instead stated he supported the decision the former president made in requesting the National Guard, which he claimed was denied, implying the necessary protection was not provided.

This stance has drawn scrutiny, with critics noting an apparent double standard in his willingness to discuss the deployment of the National Guard for other purposes, such as protecting ICE agents, while equivocating on its deployment to defend the U.S. Capitol against an attack by supporters of the president. Furthermore, reports from his National Guard tenure have suggested a history that led peers not to trust him during the security events following January 6th, an implication also raised in connection with his confirmation process.

Key Quotes

A lot of the capabilities, as you know, Senator, of that particular platform are and should remain classified.

Senate Appropriations Committee Hearing June 12, 2025

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Pete Hegseth's position on the January 6th National Guard deployment?

Pete Hegseth supported the request for the National Guard made by the former president leading up to January 6th. However, he declined to directly state whether he supported the actual decision to deploy the National Guard to secure the Capitol during the riot when questioned by a Senator.

Did Pete Hegseth face scrutiny over his January 6th stance during confirmation?

Yes, Hegseth faced scrutiny during his Defense Secretary confirmation hearing regarding his response to January 6th. Critics pointed to his failure to explicitly endorse the Capitol defense as evidence of a political double standard.

What did Pete Hegseth say about the National Guard on January 6th?

When asked directly, Pete Hegseth did not affirm or deny supporting the deployment of the National Guard on January 6th. Instead, he focused his answer on the former president's request for the National Guard being denied.