Jan 6 Committee ‘hid’ evidence Trump called for 10,000 National Guard troops to handle unrest: suppressed transcript

Following a report from Mollie Hemmingway at the Federalist, Committee on House Administration's Subcommittee on Oversight Chairman Barry Loudermilk (R-GA) released the transcribed interview with Ornato. Loudermilk told Hemmingway, “The former J6 Select Committee apparently withheld Mr. Ornato’s critical witness testimony from the American people because it contradicted their pre-determined narrative."

"Mr. Ornato's testimony proves what Mr. Meadows has said all along, President Trump did in fact offer 10,000 National Guard troops to secure the US Capitol, which was turned down," he continued. "This is just one example of important information the former Select Committee hid from the public because it contradicted what they wanted the American people to believe. And, this is exactly why my investigation is committed to uncovering all the facts, no matter the outcome.”

The transcript, in which the J6 Select Committee was overseeing, Soumya Dayananda, a senior investigative counsel, interviewed Ornato as part of the investigation. At one point Dayananda asked the question to Ornato, "When it comes to the National Guard statement about having 10,000 troops or any other number of troops, do you recall any discussion prior to the 6th about whether and how many National Guard troops to deploy on January 6th?"

According to the transcript, Ornato responded that he recalled a phone call with former Trump White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows and DC Mayor Muriel Bowser where it was said that Trump wanted to make sure and was "willing to ask for 10,000" National Guard troops.

Ornato explained further that Bowser had only "350 or so for intersection control" and that these were not for “law enforcement capacity at the time."

"That's the only thing I recall with that number 10,000 National Guard guardsmen," Ornato added. “And then I remember the chief telling [Acting Secretary of Defense Christopher] Miller, ‘Get them in here, get them in here to secure the Capitol now.'”

This is after former Rep. Liz Cheney and the J6 Committee had reported there was "no evidence" that Trump had called for 10,000 National Guard troops to be present to control any unrest in the area.

Corporate media outlets such as The Hill cast doubt on the initial report from the Federalist, publishing in a report, "The conservative outlet [The Federalist] specifically cited Kash Patel, a national security official who has repeatedly called out the committee’s findings, but is not generally considered a reliable source."