The confrontation began when former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi launched a sharp attack on President Trump’s comprehensive federal law enforcement initiative in Washington D.C., which included seizing direct control of the Metropolitan Police Department and activating the D.C. National Guard for street patrols. Pelosi’s criticism went beyond the immediate policy implications to draw direct parallels with Trump’s actions during the January 6 Capitol riot.
“Donald Trump delayed deploying the National Guard on January 6th when our Capitol was under violent attack and lives were at stake,” Pelosi declared in a statement that immediately garnered national attention. “Now, he’s activating the D.C. Guard to distract from his incompetent mishandling of tariffs, health care, education and immigration — just to name a few blunders.”
Pelosi’s statement represented more than routine political opposition; it was a deliberate attempt to frame Trump’s current law enforcement initiatives through the lens of his alleged failures during the Capitol riot. By invoking January 6, Pelosi sought to raise questions about Trump’s commitment to law enforcement and public safety, positioning herself as a defender of institutional security against presidential overreach.
The former Speaker’s decision to make this comparison proved to be a significant tactical error, as it provided an opening for someone with intimate knowledge of the January 6 security preparations to challenge her narrative directly and publicly.
Former U.S. Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund’s response to Pelosi was swift, comprehensive, and devastating in its specificity. Sund, who resigned in the immediate aftermath of January 6, used his unique position as the person responsible for Capitol security to systematically dismantle Pelosi’s characterization of events.
“Ma’am, it is long past time to be honest with the American people,” Sund began his statement, immediately establishing a tone of moral authority and calling into question Pelosi’s truthfulness. This opening salvo suggested that Sund viewed Pelosi’s comments not as mere political rhetoric, but as a fundamental misrepresentation of historical facts.
Sund’s statement revealed previously undisclosed details about his efforts to secure National Guard support in the days leading up to January 6. According to his account, on January 3, 2021—three full days before the riot—he formally requested National Guard assistance through proper channels. This timeline detail is crucial because it directly contradicts narratives that suggest security officials were caught off-guard by the potential for violence on January 6.
The former chief’s revelation that his January 3 request was “shot down by Pelosi’s own Sergeant at Arms” represents perhaps the most explosive element of his statement. This claim suggests that the security failures of January 6 were not the result of poor planning or inadequate intelligence, but rather of deliberate decisions by officials operating under Pelosi’s authority to reject enhanced security measures.
Sund’s explanation of the legal framework governing National Guard deployment reveals the complex bureaucratic structure that may have contributed to the January 6 security failures. His citation of federal law (2 U.S.C. §1970) provides specific legal grounding for his claim that he was “prohibited from calling them in without specific approval.”
This legal constraint is significant because it suggests that even if Sund had possessed perfect intelligence about the coming violence, he would have been powerless to act without authorization from congressional leadership. The law’s requirement for specific approval creates a chain of accountability that leads directly to House and Senate leadership, including Pelosi in her capacity as Speaker.
Sund’s account of Pentagon involvement adds another layer of complexity to the pre-January 6 security preparations. His claim that “Carol Corbin at the Pentagon offered National Guard support” on January 3, but that he was “forced to decline because I lacked the legal authority,” suggests that federal military officials were prepared to provide assistance but were prevented from doing so by congressional restrictions.
This revelation, if accurate, fundamentally alters the narrative about January 6 preparations by suggesting that adequate security resources were available and offered, but were rejected due to legal and administrative constraints imposed by congressional leadership.
Sund’s description of his efforts to obtain National Guard support during the actual riot provides perhaps the most damaging allegations against Pelosi’s leadership. His claim that he “begged again for the Guard” when violence erupted, only to be “stalled for over an hour,” paints a picture of bureaucratic dysfunction at the moment of greatest crisis.
The specific detail that Pelosi’s Sergeant at Arms “denied my urgent requests for over 70 agonizing minutes, ‘running it up the chain’ for your approval” suggests a leadership structure that was either unprepared for crisis decision-making or deliberately slow-walking security requests for political reasons.
Sund’s use of the phrase “70 agonizing minutes” is particularly powerful because it humanizes the abstract concept of bureaucratic delay by connecting it directly to the real-time violence and chaos that was unfolding at the Capitol. Every minute of delay represented additional risk to the lives of Members of Congress, staff, and law enforcement officers.
The former chief’s characterization of repeated denials during active violence raises fundamental questions about the priorities and decision-making processes of congressional leadership during the crisis. If Sund’s account is accurate, it suggests that even as the Capitol was under physical attack, administrative procedures took precedence over immediate security needs.
Perhaps the most politically damaging element of Sund’s statement is his direct accusation of hypocrisy against Pelosi regarding post-January 6 security measures. His observation that “when it suited you, you ordered fencing topped with concertina wire and surrounded the Capitol with thousands of armed National Guard troops” draws a sharp contrast between Pelosi’s alleged reluctance to authorize security before January 6 and her enthusiasm for extensive security measures afterward.
This accusation is particularly powerful because it addresses one of the most visible and controversial aspects of the post-January 6 period: the transformation of the Capitol complex into what critics described as a militarized zone. The presence of thousands of National Guard troops, razor wire fencing, and multiple security checkpoints became symbols of how dramatically January 6 had changed the relationship between the American people and their government.
Sund’s framing suggests that these dramatic security measures represented not genuine security improvements, but political theater designed to reinforce a particular narrative about January 6 and its aftermath. By characterizing the post-riot security as something that “suited” Pelosi politically, Sund implies that her security decisions were driven by political calculations rather than genuine security assessments.
The Pelosi-Sund exchange occurred against the backdrop of Trump’s comprehensive federal takeover of Washington D.C. law enforcement, which has produced measurable changes in both crime statistics and immigration enforcement activities. According to CNN’s analysis of government data, the first week under federal control saw property crimes fall by approximately 19 percent and violent crime drop by 17 percent compared to the previous week.
These statistics provide important context for understanding why Pelosi chose to attack Trump’s D.C. initiative through the lens of January 6. The apparent early success of federal law enforcement coordination in reducing crime rates could potentially undermine Democratic arguments about Trump’s fitness for office and his commitment to law and order.
The federal operation has also dramatically increased immigration enforcement activities, with approximately 300 arrests of individuals without legal status since August 7—more than ten times the typical weekly number. This enforcement surge aligns with broader Trump administration priorities and demonstrates the comprehensive nature of the federal takeover.
Federal agencies have embedded personnel with local police units, creating integrated teams that assist in arrests, searches, and warrant executions while patrolling the city in unmarked vehicles. This level of federal-local integration represents a significant departure from traditional policing models and provides a template that could be applied to other jurisdictions.
The Sund-Pelosi confrontation raises fundamental questions about the role of congressional leadership in Capitol security decisions and the accountability structures that govern such responsibilities. Under the current system, the Capitol Police operate under the authority of the Capitol Police Board, which includes the Sergeant at Arms of both the House and Senate.
This structure creates a complex chain of command that can lead to delays and confusion during crisis situations, as Sund’s account appears to demonstrate. The requirement for congressional leadership approval of National Guard deployment reflects the founders’ concerns about military forces being used against civilian government, but may create vulnerabilities during genuine security emergencies.
Sund’s revelations suggest that this system may have contributed directly to the security failures of January 6 by creating bureaucratic obstacles to rapid response during a developing crisis. His account implies that even when security professionals identified threats and requested appropriate resources, political considerations may have prevented adequate responses.
The public exchange between Sund and Pelosi has significant implications for ongoing political debates about January 6 and the broader questions of accountability for that day’s events. Sund’s detailed, specific allegations provide Republicans with powerful ammunition for their arguments that Democratic leadership bears significant responsibility for the security failures.
If Sund’s claims are substantiated, they could fundamentally alter public understanding of January 6 by shifting focus from Trump’s actions and rhetoric to congressional leadership’s security decisions. This shift could have profound implications for how Americans assign blame and accountability for the events of that day.
The timing of this confrontation, occurring as Trump implements comprehensive law enforcement reforms in Washington D.C., also provides a stark contrast between current federal security measures and the alleged security deficiencies that preceded January 6. This comparison could strengthen Trump’s political position by demonstrating decisive leadership in contrast to what Sund portrays as congressional indecision and obstruction.
In the first week after the White House assumed control of Washington, D.C.’s police force and deployed federal agents and National Guard troops, the city recorded a modest drop in reported crime but a sharp increase in immigration-related arrests, according to a CNN analysis of government data.
For the week beginning August 12 — the first full week under federal control — property crimes fell by about 19 percent compared to the week prior, while violent crime dropped 17 percent, based on the most recent Metropolitan Police Department statistics.
The trends varied by category. Robberies and car break-ins fell by more than 40 percent, while thefts remained flat. Burglary cases rose 6 percent, and assaults with a dangerous weapon increased 14 percent. Two homicides occurred during the period, consistent with recent weeks, though none have been reported since August 13.
Federal agencies have embedded with local police, assisting in arrests, searches, and warrant executions while patrolling the city in unmarked vehicles, CNN noted further.At the same time, immigration enforcement surged. Since August 7, federal officials have arrested about 300 individuals in the district without legal immigration status — more than ten times the typical weekly number of ICE arrests in the city,
During the first six months of Trump’s current term, ICE averaged about 12 arrests per week in Washington, according to data from the Deportation Data Project at the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law.
Officials told CNN that ICE agents have been accompanying MPD officers and intervening when individuals stopped or questioned are found to be in the country unlawfully.
In response to CNN’s findings, White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson stated that the media was attempting to dismiss the “exceptional results” of Trump’s efforts in Washington, D.C.
“The drops in crime are not ‘moderate,’ they are life-changing for the countless of DC residents and visitors who have not been murdered, robbed, carjacked, or victims of overall violent crime in the last week,” Jackson said. “The priority of this operation remains getting violent criminals off the streets — regardless of immigration status.”
The administration said those taken into custody include individuals arrested for committing crimes or wanted on outstanding warrants, including some for serious offenses. CNN noted it could not independently confirm the details of the arrests or determine what share involved non-immigration-related charges.
The sharp increase in immigration arrests has also fueled concerns among Democratic leaders in D.C., including Mayor
Muriel Bowser, who argue that the true aim of Trump’s federal takeover may be targeting illegal immigrants.
Last week, Bowser told reporters that an order from U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi “almost exclusively focused on immigration enforcement and homeless encampment enforcement.”
The District of Columbia’s attorney general has filed a lawsuit challenging Attorney General Pam Bondi’s order directing police to disregard the city’s sanctuary laws, which had limited cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement in immigration cases.
During a hearing last week, however, the federal judge overseeing the case suggested that Trump’s authority under the Home Rule Act likely gives him the power to require local police to assist ICE.
Viral videos circulating in Washington this week show Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents tackling immigrants, including food delivery workers, and in one case breaking car windows to detain two men.
During one evening of heightened police activity, CNN observed officers responding to reports of shootings, drug and firearm possession, and a stolen vehicle. Federal agents were heard communicating over local police channels as they carried out stops, searches, and crime responses, at times warning each other about the city’s speed cameras.
Over the past week, the Metropolitan Police Department and federal agencies have also set up traffic checkpoints — a practice rarely used in the district — including one large operation with dozens of officers and agents along a major highway leaving the city, CNN said.
Officers were seen pulling over vehicles and conducting searches, though it was not immediately clear what criteria were being used to determine which vehicles were stopped, said the outlet.
Five people were killed and dozens were injured when the tour bus they were on in western New York state careened out of control and flipped on its side on an interstate.
The bus was transporting more than 50 people on a return trip to New York City after traveling to Niagara Falls and the U.S.-Canada border when it crashed.
Multiple children were hospitalized but avoided serious injury, New York State Police Maj. Andre Ray of the New York State Police said Friday night.
The bus, also described as a charter, was headed east on the interstate in an area about halfway between Buffalo and Rochester when it crashed about 12:30 p.m., officials said.
State police said 52 were on the bus, with many trapped, rescued, and rushed to hospitals. Authorities later said that some of the injured were thrown from the vehicle.
Riders included people from the United States as well as from China, India, the Philippines and the Middle East, Ray said.
Translators were dispatched to the scene to help first responders communicate with victims, authorities said.
The ages and identities of the dead were unavailable. Detailed information, including conditions, for those injured was incomplete or unavailable.
New York State Trooper James O’Callaghan said the bus careened out of control, went into the interstate’s median, overcorrected, and ended up on its side on the south shoulder of I-90 with “significant damage.”
The section of roadway is part of the state’s 570-mile Thruway System of “controlled access” toll roads.
The vehicle was at “full speed” but did not strike any others before stopping on the interstate, O’Callaghan said. “It basically lost control,” he said.
Why remained a key question as evening arrived. Ray said the exact cause of the crash was under investigation, but troopers believe the bus’ driver became distracted.
“It’s believe the operator became distracted, lost control, and overcorrected,” he said.
The driver survived and was interviewed by investigators, authorities said.
The National Transportation Safety Board is sending investigators who are expected to arrive late Saturday, the federal agency said. It will coordinate with state police and the New York State Department of Transportation Motor Carrier Compliance Bureau to find a cause, the NTSB said.
Officials at ECMC (Erie County Medical Center) in Buffalo said at a separate news conference on Friday it received 24 people with injuries, including two in intensive care, two in operating rooms, and 20 who were being treated or evaluated.
“I’ve been here 25 years,” Samuel D. Cloud, chief medical officer at the institution, said. “This is probably the most trauma patients we’ve had from one incident in my career here in Buffalo.”
The crash and its response prompted the closure of Interstate 90 but westbound traffic was allowed to use the section anew Friday night, with eastbound traffic expected to follow later in the evening.
After spending the morning taking in the breathtaking sights at Niagara Falls, a group of tourists boarded a bus to return to New York City, not knowing about an hour later, their bus would be lying on its side in the ditch off the New York State Thruway.
The bus driver got distracted and lost control, officials said, overcorrecting and rolling over on the interstate, near the town of Pembroke, east of Buffalo, about 40 miles east of Niagara Falls.
Some of the 52 passengers were ejected, others were trapped, police said, as ground and air ambulances, state and local police and other first responders rushed to the crash to help. Five people died and dozens were hurt.
Many of the passengers, some from China and the Philippines, spoke little English, so along with the ambulances and the tow trucks, translators were brought in to help police sort out what happened.
State police on Saturday released the names of the five people killed in the crash, identifying them as Shankar Kumar Jha, 65, of Madhubani, India; Pinki Changrani, 60, of East Brunswick, New Jersey; Xie Hongzhuo, 22, of Beijing, China and a Columbia University student; Zhang Xiaolan, 55, and Jian Mingli, 56, who are both residents of Jersey City, New Jersey.
“This heartbreaking loss is felt deeply across our community,” a spokesperson for Columbia University said in a statement about Hongzhuo. “We are in close contact with her family and offering them our full support.”
The driver of the bus who survived was also identified as Bin Shao, 55, of Flushing, New York, state police said.
People who saw the aftermath of the wreck told CNN affiliate WHAM glass and people’s belongings were scattered on the highway.
“It was certainly heartbreaking to see,” Powell Stephens told WHAM after he drove by the crash on his way home to Medina from Buffalo. “There was a lot of people embracing each other. It looked like people were breaking down.”
Here’s what we know.
The bus was driving at full speed and did not hit any other vehicles, but lost control from the median onward, New York State Police spokesperson James O’Callaghan said.
The bus crashed just after 12:20 p.m. and was heavily damaged. Most passengers were not wearing seat belts, authorities said, and several were thrown from the bus, while some were stuck inside as first responders swarmed the scene to rescue them.
The passengers ranged in age from 1 to 74 years old and no children were killed, state police said, revising an earlier statement which said they believed there was one child fatality.
Scores of vehicles were stuck on the busy interstate when authorities shut down both eastbound and westbound lanes to respond to the crash. Both lanes were reopened later in the day.
Four regional hospitals received patients from the accident Friday afternoon, with at least two being told to be ready for a large number of patients coming all at once.
At least 47 people were taken to the hospitals, some by air, with a range of injuries from critical to minor, from head and internal injuries and broken bones, while others were deemed medically stable.
The Mercy Flight medical transport service said its three helicopters and three more from other services transported people from the crash site, according to The Associated Press.
Erie County Medical Center in Buffalo revised the number of patients it received down to 21 and said seven were discharged Friday. Two additional patients are expected to be discharged Saturday. The remaining patients are in stable condition, including five patients who are in the hospital’s Trauma Intensive Care Unit, the hospital said.
“We were able to take care of all patients very quickly,” said Dr. Jennifer Pugh, chief of emergency medicine at the hospital.
Six victims were brought to the University of Rochester Medical Center by air and ground ambulance, said hospital spokesperson Scott Hesel. “Two are being treated for critical injuries and four are medically stable, including one pediatric patient,” he said.
Kaleida Health said in a statement to CNN affiliate Spectrum News Rochester it received 20 patients, including four adults in good condition to Buffalo General Medical Center, 11 adults and two children to Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital and three children – one in serious condition – to Oishei Children’s Hospital. Most of the patients were in good or fair condition and at least one of those adults has been discharged, the health care network said.
Additional patients were taken to United Memorial Medical Center in Batavia, according to state police.
The Chinese Consulate General in New York told state media CCTV Friday six Chinese nationals were on the bus. Five suffered minor injuries, while one is seriously injured and undergoing surgery, the outlet reported. The consulate did not identify victims or disclose where they were transported to.
Also on Friday, the Philippine Consulate General in New York released a statement saying it is “monitoring developments” and will provide assistance to any Filipino nationals affected. The consulate urged any relatives of possible victims to reach out.
CNN has reached out to both consulates for further information.
A list of the passengers provided by the bus company, based in Staten Island, confirmed there were 54 people on board, including the driver and another tour company employee, police said in a statement.
On Saturday morning, state troopers, staff with Erie County services and volunteers with the American Red Cross of Western New York were at the Family Assistance Center set up to help survivors and victims at the Amherst senior center. Translators speaking several different languages including Arabic, Mandarin and Cantonese were also at the center.
The Red Cross said in a statement they provided those impacted by the crash “lodging, emotional support, spiritual care, meals, snacks and water.”
All family members have connected with the passengers and the assistance center was winding down operations, state police said Saturday.
“Several witnesses observed the bus lose control, enter the median, then cross to the southern shoulder and overturn,” the state police said in a news release.
The cause of the crash is still under investigation but mechanical failure as well as operator impairment or intoxication have been ruled out, Maj. Andre J. Ray, a New York State Police troop commander, said Friday afternoon.
It’s too early to determine whether any charges will be filed, Ray said.
The National Transportation Safety Board said it is sending a go-team to the crash scene to conduct a safety investigation in coordination with state police and the state Department of Transportation Motor Carrier Compliance Bureau. Members of the team would arrive Friday and Saturday, the NTSB said.
The NTSB is conducting a safety investigation running parallel to the law enforcement investigation being led by the state police, NTSB board member Tom Chapman said at a news briefing Saturday.
“We are particularly interested in issues related to occupant protection and seat belt usage, driver performance, operations and oversight of the motor carrier,” he said.
A team of investigators specializing in human performance will look at the driver’s qualifications and whether he was fatigued or distracted, said lead investigator Scott Parent.
The bus was equipped with an engine control unit with data recorder capability, which will show what speed the bus was going and other actions the driver took before the crash, he said. Investigators are also interested in whether the bus was equipped with dash camera footage and a GPS unit which may have recorded its speed, said Parent.
They will determine the “extent to which the lack of seat belt use may have been a factor in some of the passengers being ejected,” said Chapman. A recently passed law in New York state requires seat belt usage on buses manufactured after 2016, but the tour bus involved in the crash was made in 2005, he said, adding it is not clear yet whether the law would have applied in this case.
The NTSB investigative team will be at the scene for four to six days and a preliminary report is expected to be released in 30 days, after which final reports will be completed in 12 to 24 months, said Chapman.
The tour bus was owned by M&Y Tour Inc. and based in Staten Island. It has no record of accidents or fatalities over the past two years, as well as a “satisfactory” safety rating, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. The company’s buses and drivers were inspected 60 times over the past two years, according to the agency.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul described the crash as “tragic” and said first responders were “working to rescue and provide assistance to everyone involved” in a post on X.
CNN has contacted the tour bus company for comment.
This story has been updated with additional information.