Kash Patel accuses Jan 6 committee of smear campaign after he said Trump authorized National Guard that day

Kash Patel, a former advisor to former President Donald Trump and chief of staff for the Defense Sec during Trump's term, alleged that he was subjected to a smear campaign by the January 6 Committee following his testimony that Trump authorized the National Guard for use on that day in 2021. This comes after Patel's testimony was found to have been corroborated by others who spoke with the Committee.

In his testimony before the January 6 Committee, Patel said he was present in a meeting where Trump authorized Defense Dept. officials to coordinate with DC Mayor and then-Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi to deploy the National Guard to the US Capitol building amid perceived threats.

Explaining Trump's mindset, Patel stated, "Just in case there's any security issues in D.C. or any other major city, I know you need my authorization, so I'm giving it to you." He emphasized Trump's directive to not hesitate in deploying the National Guard if necessary.

Following the Capitol attack on January 6, the committee overseeing the investigation attempted to undermine Patel's testimony, implying it was an inaccurate defense of the president.

However, an exclusive report by the Daily Mail reveals unearthed transcripts from Tony Ornato, who led Trump's Secret Service detail at the time, corroborating Patel's claims regarding Trump's desire to have the National Guard in DC on January 6.

Ornato stated in a deposition in November 2022 that he recalled hearing a conversation between Trump’s former Chief of Staff Mark Meadows and D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser that confirmed Trump's authorization of the National Guard.

“He [Meadows] was on the phone with her [Bowser] and wanted to make sure she had everything that she needed,” Ornato stated. 

Ornato also testified that Trump and his team were frustrated with the slow deployment of the National Guard on January 6.

Patel suggested to the Daily Mail that Democratic officials did not act on Trump's authorization of the National Guard because they allegedly “wanted” images of Trump supporters trespassing on Capitol grounds.