Accounts Of Trump Angrily Demanding To Go To Capitol Hill On Jan. 6 Were Released To The Secret Service Last Year

While details from those who heard the accounts differ, Secret Service sources say they were told there was indeed an angry confrontation. And their accounts align with important parts of Hutchinson’s testimony, which has been attacked as hearsay by Trump and his allies, who have also sought to discredit her overall testimony. As Hutchinson, a source, a longtime Secret Service employee, told CNN that agents carrying the story described Trump as “demanding” and that the former president said something along the lines of, “I’m the king President of the United States. , you can’t tell me what to do.” The source said he first heard that kind of language was used shortly after the incident.
“He had fallen forward — it wasn’t clear from the conversations I had that he actually had physical contact, but he might have. I don’t know,” the source said. “No one said Trump attacked him; they said he tried to fall over the seat – for what reason, no one had a clue.” The official said he had heard about the incident several times since February 2021 from other agents, including some who were part of the presidential protective detail during that time period, but none of whom were involved in the incident. The source added that agents were often told stories of Trump’s temper tantrums, including the former president throwing and breaking things. “Not just plates,” the source added, a reference to how Hutchinson testified this week that she saw ketchup on the wall and a china plate shatter on the floor of the White House dining room after Trump threw his lunch at the wall upon hearing it . about then-Attorney General William Barr telling a media outlet that there was no widespread fraud in the 2020 election. The other Secret Service source, who spoke to the driver and another agent who was not there, said he heard about Trump verbally berating his constituents, but not any physical altercation. Neither source told CNN they had heard of Trump trying to take the wheel. Three of those attending the meeting in the presidential SUV, a modified armored version of a Chevrolet Suburban, were Trump, chief of detail Robert “Bobby” Engel and the driver whose identity is not publicly known at this time. Hutchinson herself did not witness the incident first hand. She testified at a select committee hearing Tuesday that then-Deputy White House Chief of Staff Tony Ornato told her. She said Ornato told her the story in front of Engel. She testified that Ornato told her that Engel repeatedly informed Trump on their return to the White House after Trump’s Ellipse speech that it was not safe to go to Capitol Hill. According to Hutchinson, Ornato recounted Trump screaming, “I’m the King President. Take me to the Capitol now.” Trump then “reached over the front of the vehicle to grab the steering wheel,” Hutchinson recalled Ornato saying. He added that, according to Ornato, Trump used his other hand to “hit” Engel. Hutchinson also testified that Trump and her boss, then-chief of staff to the president Mark Meadows, were aware of the possibility of violence on Jan. 6, 2021, and that Trump supporters had guns when they gathered at the Ellipse that day. Engel and Ornato both testified to the committee behind closed doors, but their statements were not used at Tuesday’s hearing. Neither Engel nor Ornato have commented publicly on Hutchinson’s testimony. Another Secret Service official previously told CNN that Engel denied that Trump grabbed the wheel or lunged at an agent for his information, and that Ornato denied saying the same to Hutchinson. The official did not dispute that Trump directed his agents to take him to the Capitol. Ornato has a close relationship with Trump and his team, having previously served as head of his protective detail and then being granted an unusual leave of absence from his Secret Service duties to be detailed to the White House as deputy chief of staff for businesses. Hutchinson’s account of the alleged incident was one of the most shocking parts of Tuesday’s hearing — adding to an already damning portrait of how Trump was desperate to reach Capitol Hill at the time. Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., a member of the panel, said agents can come before the panel and dispute the claims under oath. “No one is denying that the President wanted to go to the Capitol where this armed mob was attacking Congress and trying to overturn the election,” Lofgren said in an interview with CNN’s AC360 Wednesday night. “That’s the main point that’s as shocking as the limo story was. The real legitimate significance was that he wanted to go there and no one disputes that.” Representative Stephanie Murphy of Florida, another Democratic member of the committee, told NBC’s “Meet the Press NOW” that “Mr. Ornato didn’t have as clear a memory of that time period as I would say Ms. Hutchinson did.” “But we’re always happy people remembered things to come back and talk to us,” he added. CNN’s Josh Campbell contributed to this report.

title: “Accounts Of Trump Angrily Demanding To Go To Capitol Hill On Jan. 6 Were Released To The Secret Service Last Year " ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-21” author: “Alfred Robb”

While details from those who heard the accounts differ, Secret Service sources say they were told there was indeed an angry confrontation. And their accounts align with important parts of Hutchinson’s testimony, which has been attacked as hearsay by Trump and his allies, who have also sought to discredit her overall testimony. As Hutchinson, a source, a longtime Secret Service employee, told CNN that agents carrying the story described Trump as “demanding” and that the former president said something along the lines of, “I’m the king President of the United States. , you can’t tell me what to do.” The source said he first heard that kind of language was used shortly after the incident.
“He had fallen forward — it wasn’t clear from the conversations I had that he actually had physical contact, but he might have. I don’t know,” the source said. “No one said Trump attacked him; they said he tried to fall over the seat — for what reason, no one had a clue.” The official said he had heard about the incident several times since February 2021 from other agents, including some who were part of the presidential protective detail during that time period, but none of whom were involved in the incident. The source added that agents were often told stories of Trump’s temper tantrums, including the former president throwing and breaking things. “Not just plates,” the source added, a reference to how Hutchinson testified this week that she saw ketchup on the wall and a china plate shatter on the floor of the White House dining room after Trump threw his lunch at the wall upon hearing it . about then-Attorney General William Barr telling a media outlet that there was no widespread fraud in the 2020 election. The other Secret Service source, who spoke to the driver and another agent who was not there, said he heard about Trump verbally berating his constituents, but not any physical altercation. Neither source told CNN they had heard of Trump trying to take the wheel. Three of those attending the meeting in the presidential SUV, a modified armored version of a Chevrolet Suburban, were Trump, chief of detail Robert “Bobby” Engel and the driver whose identity is not publicly known at this time. Hutchinson herself did not witness the incident first hand. She testified at a select committee hearing Tuesday that then-Deputy White House Chief of Staff Tony Ornato told her. She said Ornato told her the story in front of Engel. She testified that Ornato told her that Engel repeatedly informed Trump on their return to the White House after Trump’s speech at the Ellipse that it was not safe to go to Capitol Hill. According to Hutchinson, Ornato recounted Trump screaming, “I’m the King’s President. Take me to the Capitol now.’ Trump then “reached over the front of the vehicle to grab the steering wheel,” Hutchinson recalled Ornato saying. He added that, according to Ornato, Trump used his other hand to “hit” Engel. Hutchinson also testified that Trump and her boss, then-chief of staff to the president Mark Meadows, were aware of the possibility of violence on Jan. 6, 2021, and that Trump supporters had guns when they gathered at the Ellipse that day. Engel and Ornato both testified to the committee behind closed doors, but their statements were not used at Tuesday’s hearing. Neither Engel nor Ornato have commented publicly on Hutchinson’s testimony. Another Secret Service official previously told CNN that Engel denied that Trump grabbed the wheel or lunged at an agent for his information, and that Ornato denied saying the same to Hutchinson. The official did not dispute that Trump directed his agents to take him to the Capitol. Ornato has a close relationship with Trump and his team, having previously served as head of his protective detail and then being granted an unusual leave of absence from his Secret Service duties to be detailed to the White House as deputy chief of staff for businesses. Hutchinson’s account of the alleged incident was one of the most shocking parts of Tuesday’s hearing — adding to an already damning portrait of how Trump was desperate to reach Capitol Hill at the time. Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., a member of the panel, said agents can come before the panel and dispute the claims under oath. “No one is denying that the President wanted to go to the Capitol where this armed mob was attacking Congress and trying to overturn the election,” Lofgren said in an interview with CNN’s AC360 Wednesday night. “That’s the main point that’s as shocking as the limo story was. The real legitimate significance was that he wanted to go there and no one disputes that.” Representative Stephanie Murphy of Florida, another Democratic member of the committee, told NBC’s “Meet the Press NOW” that “Mr. Ornato didn’t have as clear a memory of that time period as I would say Ms. Hutchinson did.” “But we’re always happy people remembered things to come back and talk to us,” he added. CNN’s Josh Campbell contributed to this report.