CNN obtains footage of Pelosi saying she’d 'punch him out' if Trump went to Capitol on January 6
On Anderson Cooper 360 Thursday, CNN aired previously unseen footage of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on January 6, 2021, both before and after the storming of the Capitol. At one point, while watching former President Trump’s speech at The Ellipse in which he told his supporters to march on the Capitol, saying he’d go with, Pelosi left no doubt about how she felt about the former president.
“I hope he comes. I’m gonna punch him out,” Pelosi said. “This is my moment. I’ve been waiting for this. For trespassing on the Capitol grounds, I’m gonna punch him out and I’m gonna go to jail, and I’m gonna be happy.”
In later footage, Pelosi is seen huddled with other members of Congress speaking with Acting Secretary of Defense Christophe Miller, who was appointed to the position after Trump had lost the election. Along with Pelosi is House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, who would later falsely blame Pelosi for the lack of security at the Capitol that day, when in fact it was Miller who stripped the commander of the D.C. National Guard of his ability to deploy troops just two days before the insurrection. Any troop deployment had to get the okay from Miller. In the video, Pelosi is seen urging Miller to allow the National Guard to secure the Capitol.
“Just pretend for a moment it was The Pentagon or the White House or some other entity that was under siege,” Pelosi said to Miller. “You can logistically get people there as you make the plan, and you have some leadership of the National Guard there, they have not been given the authority to activate.”
Video Transcript
DONALD TRUMP: We're going to walk down, and I'll be there with you. We're going to walk down to the Capitol.
NANCY PELOSI: Tell him if he comes here, we're going to the White House.
KYLIE MAR: Following what may be the last January 6 committee hearing on Thursday, CNN aired previously unseen footage of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi from that day as former President Trump spoke at the Ellipse, telling his supporters to march on the Capitol. Trump reportedly wanted to go to the Capitol along with his supporters but was stopped by the Secret Service. And Pelosi made no secret about what she would have liked to do had he shown up.
TERRI MCCULLOUGH: They told him they don't have the resources to protect him here. So at the moment, he is not coming, but that could change.
NANCY PELOSI: I hope he comes. I'm gonna punch him out. This is my moment.
TERRI MCCULLOUGH: I would pay to see that.
NANCY PELOSI: I've been waiting for this. For trespassing on the Capitol grounds, I want to punch him out and I'm gonna go to jail, and I'm gonna be happy.
KYLIE MAR: Like all members of Congress, Pelosi soon found herself and her staff rushing to safety from the insurrectionists who had begun storming the Capitol. In the previously unseen footage, Pelosi is seen huddled with other members of Congress, including Republican House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, who would go on to falsely blame Pelosi for the lack of security at the Capitol that day. Pelosi is seen urging the acting Secretary of Defense to send in the National Guard.
NANCY PELOSI: Just pretend for a moment it was The Pentagon or the White House or some other entity that was under siege. You can logistically get people there as you make the plan. And you have the leadership of the National Guard there. They have not been given the authority to activate.
