January 7, 2021 2:40 p.m. As confusion lingers about who ordered the D.C. National Guard into action on Wednesday, following a mysterious delay, one of the most troubling elements has been who was in control of the military unit as an angry pro-Trump mob descended on the Capitol. But, there’s a clear answer. According to a 1949 executive order signed by President Harry Truman, command of the D.C National Guard is delegated to the Secretary of Defense. The question comes as Vice President Mike Pence was briefly reported on Wednesday to have ordered the guard’s activation, before subsequent reports clarified that Pence was “consulted” but that acting Defense Secretary Chris Miller ordered the unit’s activation.