Claim:
Conservative news outlets and social media posts allege that the Jan. 6 select committee “suppressed testimony” from former Deputy Chief of Staff Anthony Ornato, which proves former President Donald Trump pushed for 10,000 National Guard troops at the Capitol.
Reasoning:
The claim arises from a transcript of an interview with Anthony Ornato conducted by the Jan. 6 select committee, which was not released immediately due to a review by the Department of Homeland Security for potential security concerns. In the interview, Ornato recalls overhearing discussions about Trump suggesting the deployment of 10,000 National Guard troops, but he clarifies that Trump never gave a direct order for this deployment. The committee’s final report, which considered Ornato’s and other testimonies, concluded that there was no evidence of Trump ordering the deployment of 10,000 National Guard troops before or during the Jan. 6 attack.
Fact or Fiction?
Fiction. The claim that the Jan. 6 select committee “suppressed testimony” involving 10,000 National Guard troops is false. The committee did not release the transcript immediately due to security review processes, not to suppress evidence. Furthermore, the content of Ornato’s testimony does not contradict the committee’s findings that Trump did not directly order the deployment of 10,000 National Guard troops.