Pelosi Confronts Reporter Over January 6 Actions
This week, a tense interaction unfolded between former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and a conservative reporter outside the U.S. Capitol. The exchange escalated when Pelosi, visibly agitated, told the reporter to “shut up” while being questioned about her role during the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack.
The incident occurred as Alison Steinberg, a correspondent for Lindell TV—associated with Donald Trump’s ally Mike Lindell—posed questions to Pelosi (D-Calif.). Steinberg inquired why Pelosi had not called for the National Guard to assist during the Capitol unrest, despite the former Speaker admitting to security failures in a video that had been obtained by the Republican-led House Administration Committee, which Pelosi and her fellow Democrats have contested.
Steinberg pressed, asking, “Are you at all worried about the new January 6th? Did the committee find you responsible that day? Why did you reject the National Guard?”
Pelosi, flanked by aides, retorted angrily, “Shut up! I did not refuse to deploy the National Guard. The president did not deploy the National Guard.”
The confrontation was recorded and widely circulated online, eliciting mixed reactions. Supporters of Pelosi argued she was addressing “misinformed” questions, while critics accused her of evading genuine inquiries into the security lapses of that day.
Interestingly, Pelosi had previously seemed to accept some blame for the situation during a recording by her daughter, documentary filmmaker Alexandra Pelosi. In that footage, she acknowledged the absence of the National Guard during the Capitol protests.
“I take full responsibility,” Pelosi stated, expressing exasperation over the expectation that protesters would act peacefully and criticizing the lack of readiness and failure to call in the National Guard sooner.
She had stated, “We completely failed and we have to take some responsibility for not holding the Guard accountable for what could have happened.”
The video, presented by the Republican-led House Administration Committee, notably did not feature in the final report of the January 6th Select Committee, which consists of nine members—seven Democrats and two Republicans, including Liz Cheney, a vocal Trump critic.
While Pelosi has taken some responsibility in her statements, she has also directed accusations toward President Trump, asserting he incited the violence at the Capitol.
On the other hand, Pentagon officials from the Biden administration have argued that the House Speaker does not have the authority to deploy the D.C. National Guard; instead, that power lies with the Department of Defense and the President.
Nonetheless, Pelosi has been actively involved in discussions around security leading up to the protests, including requests for additional law enforcement and National Guard presence.
At the age of 85, Pelosi will step aside from Democratic leadership in 2022. Steinberg, known for her assertive reporting style, shared the video online, suggesting that Pelosi’s reaction hinted at potential concealment of information.
