On January 6, Donald Trump rushed at a Secret Service agent while attempting to grab the wheel of his presidential vehicle, according to Cassidy Hutchinson, a former Mark Meadows assistant.
Just four days prior to the Capitol riot, the former top staffer to the White House chief of staff, who was only 25 years old, testified in court on Tuesday that she was told by Donald Trump’s chief of staff that “things may become real, real nasty on January 6.”
The former staffer’s testimony included several shocking details, including Trump’s stated demand on going to the Capitol with his supporters, who he was informed were armed.
She claimed he said, “I’m the effing president, take me to the Capitol immediately.”
Hutchinson claimed that when Secret Service refused, the man allegedly lunged at The Beast’s steering wheel.
You must remove your hand off the steering wheel, sir. Agent Richard Engel of the Secret Service informed Hutchinson that they were returning to the West Wing and not the Capitol.
Hutchinson recalled: “Mr. Trump then used his free hand to rush towards Bobby Engel.”
According to her, former deputy chief of staff Tony Ornato “motioned toward his collarbone” as a sign the president was attempting to slit the throat of his security detail.
In addition, Hutchinson informed the committee on January 6 that Trump was “furious” because some of his armed followers were unable to enter the designated areas of his Stop the Steal rally outside the White House, which had taken place just before the disturbance.
He appeared to be irate that his armed supporters were unable to pass the security magnetometers, making the audience number appear smaller than he had hoped.
She claimed that Trump commanded, “Take the effing magazines away,” in reference to the metal detectors that attendees had to pass through.
They aren’t here to hurt me, therefore it doesn’t matter whether they carry firearms.
The committee next played a film of Trump telling rallygoers to march to the Capitol, which seemed ominous in light of testimony saying he was aware that doing so posed a security risk.
Trump claimed on his app Truth Social around the end of the first half of the hearing that he “barely knows” Hutchinson.
“I hardly know who this person, Cassidy Hutchinson, is, aside from hearing very negative things about her (a complete phony and a “leaker”), and when she requested to go to Florida with some other members of the team after I had served a full term in office, I personally turned down her request now,” he said.
Late on Monday night, it was disclosed that the former White House employee would be the committee’s surprise witness at the hastily scheduled meeting.
In her first public testimony for the probe, she informed Congress that as she led Trump’s former attorney Rudy Giuliani out of a White House meeting earlier that month, he told her that January 6 would be a “wonderful day.”
He turned to face me and uttered something like, “Are you excited, Cass? The sixth will be a wonderful day “Hutchinson remembered.
Hutchinson claimed that Giuliani responded, “We’re heading to the Capitol,” when she questioned what he meant. It will be fantastic. The president will be present, and he will appear to be powerful.
He advised her to “speak to the chief about it” since “he knows about it,” referring to her employer.
Hutchinson stated that after having a “interesting” talk with the barred lawyer, she went right to Meadows and told him about it.
There is a lot happening, Cass. She recalls Meadows saying, “I don’t know, things may get real, pretty terrible on January 6th.”
She added her own viewpoint and stated, “That evening was the first time I distinctly recall feeling afraid and wondering what would occur on January 6.”
Her testimony also shows that, despite Meadows’ allegation in his book that the former president wasn’t serious when he promised to march with his followers to the Capitol that day, Trump had to be talked out of doing so.
In a videotaped deposition played on Tuesday, former Trump staffer Nick Luna stated, “I was aware of a desire of the president to maybe march to the or accompany rally goers to the Capitol.”
According to a conversation log from the National Security Council provided to the committee, he was adamant about attending despite staffers and supporters pleading with him to change his mind.
Hutchinson detailed a chat she had with House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy during which he purportedly pleaded with her to stop Trump from visiting the Capitol during her live testimony.
McCarthy, according to her, was “mad and irritated.” Hutchinson admitted to him that at the time, she was unaware of Trump’s intention to visit the Capitol.
McCarthy reportedly responded to her, “Cassidy, figure it out. He just said that on stage.”
The 25-year-old has direct knowledge of conversations that took place before and after the 2020 election between Trump and his associates.
Vice Chair Liz Cheney announced at the beginning of the hearing that the panel would “depart” from its usual procedure to accommodate the “important and cross-cutting themes” in Hutchinson’s extensive testimony.
Hutchinson’s relatively brief biography in comparison to other senior White House officials was the first point of inquiry for Thompson, who then showed schematics showing how close Hutchinson’s office was to Trump’s in the Oval Office.
About 24 hours before it was scheduled to start, an announcement confirmed the hearing for Tuesday. After Thompson told reporters last week that his committee’s final two presentations would be postponed until July, the unexpected incident happened.
In a rare move, the panel announced in its announcement that it will “present freshly obtained material and receive witness testimony,” but provided no further information.
The committee has removed Hutchinson from office at least three times in secret over the course of approximately 20 hours.
She had already testified before senators that Trump supported protesters yelling “Hang Mike Pence” in the US Capitol and that she observed the president’s former chief of staff burn documents in his office following a meeting with Republican Rep. Scott Perry.
The Guardian reported on Tuesday that the January 6 committee is also investigating phone calls that were allegedly made between Trump’s adult children and his senior aides to plan the September 2020 election.
British documentarian Alex Holder recorded the calls, which took place during a private occasion.
As the committee zeroes in on Trump’s scheme to undercut American democracy, Holder’s first-hand footage and interviews of Trump, his family, and Vice President Mike Pence in the weeks preceding the November election have taken center stage.
In order to overturn Joe Biden’s Electoral College victory, lawmakers are concentrating on whether the former president and his children were involved in a scheme to send in phony electors.
At least nine individuals connected to the conspiracy have received separate subpoenas from the Justice Department.