Trump’s “Law and Order” Hypocrisy: Ex-Capitol Officers Slam DC National Guard Deployment
As rioters brutally attacked officer Aquilino Gonell inside a Capitol tunnel on January 6, his mind kept racing: “Where the hell is the president? Why isn’t the National Guard here?” Hours passed before troops finally arrived – not because of Donald Trump, but by the Defense Department’s orders.
Fast forward to today, and Trump suddenly shows zero hesitation in unleashing federal agents and National Guard troops into Washington DC – this time over an “out-of-control crime wave” that local leaders insist isn’t even happening.
For the former police officers who nearly lost their lives battling Trump’s mob, the move reeks of political theater and authoritarian ambition.
“Law and Order”? Only When It Suits Trump
“He didn’t think that hundreds of cops being beaten and the Capitol overrun justified authorizing the National Guard,” Gonell said, who retired in 2022 due to his severe injuries. “Whenever he says he’s all for law and order, I have a bridge to sell you.”
Crime in DC did spike in 2023, but official data shows violent crime has since plunged to its lowest level in 30 years. Yet, after a single staffer from the so-called department of government efficiency was assaulted in an upscale neighborhood, Trump declared DC the second U.S. city to face troop deployment under his presidency.
The Double Standard of January 6
The Capitol insurrection remains DC’s deadliest day in recent memory. Instead of accountability, Trump pardoned every rioter convicted or awaiting trial, while calling them “warriors” and the attack itself a “day of love”. His administration even purged federal prosecutors and targeted FBI agents who worked those cases.
“If he really cared about public safety, he would have stopped January 6 immediately,” said Harry Dunn, another former officer who now calls Trump’s crackdown “a police state in the making.”
Flooding Streets With Force, Not Solutions
Trump has ordered 800 National Guard troops and hundreds of FBI, DEA, and Border Patrol agents into DC. He even invoked a never-before-used legal clause to seize control of the city’s police department, and is pushing Congress to make his takeover permanent.
But former officers doubt its effectiveness.
“The National Guard can’t arrest anyone. They just get sent to direct traffic. They’re worthless in crime emergencies,” said Michael Fanone, who was dragged, beaten, and tasered on January 6.
“The DEA and FBI are brilliant investigators, but they’re not city cops. They don’t deal with beer drinkers in parks or petty crimes,” Fanone added.
Meanwhile, Trump is demanding homeless people be cleared off the streets, with threats of fines or jail for those refusing shelters. Dunn blasted the move as inhumane: “We had homeless around the Capitol too, and many said shelters aren’t safe. Do we just stop caring about their safety?”
“A Hammer to a Screwdriver Problem”
“Everyone wants safe communities,” Dunn said. “But Trump is using a sledgehammer approach to a problem that requires precision. Instead of a plan, it’s just force, optics, and power plays.”
Fanone called it “a distraction” from Trump’s scandals, including his botched handling of the Jeffrey Epstein investigation and the economic damage from tariffs.
“It’s an unprecedented move, and you’d think it would be tied to an unprecedented crime wave. But we’re not experiencing that,” Fanone warned.