The House Jan. 6 committee held a surprise hearing Tuesday delivering alarming new testimony about Donald Trump's angry, defiant and vulgar actions as he ignored repeated warnings against summoning the mob to the Capitol and then refused to intervene to stop the deadly violence as rioters laid siege.
Witness Cassidy Hutchinson, a lesser-known former White House aide, refused to join those in Trump's circle staying silent and provided first-hand knowledge of what she saw and heard in the run-up to the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection, a proximity to power that gives stunning new details in the panel's yearlong investigation.
With calm, detailed recollections, Hutchinson testified that a defiant Trump was told there were guns and other weapons in the rally crowd at the White House, but sent his supporters to the Capitol anyway and even sought to physically pry the steering wheel from his presidential motorcade driver so he could join them.
Trump was clinging to his false claims of voter fraud and refusing to concede the 2020 presidential election to Joe Biden as Congress was preparing to certify the results.
Before joining the White House, Hutchinson had worked in some of the most Conservative Republican offices on Capitol Hill. She was hired as special assistant to the president and promoted up as principal aide to Trump's chief of staff Mark Meadows.
Highlights from the sixth hearing:
ANGRY, DEFIANT, VULGAR TRUMP
Trump was angry and defiant on the morning of Jan. 6, as he assessed the size of the crowd for his "Stop the Steal" rally in front of the White House, upset that not everyone who had answered his summons to come to Washington could get in to see him because of the security lines.
Told that guns, knives, brass knuckles and other weapons were being confiscated from the security screenings, Trump didn't care. "They're not here to hurt me," the president said. He wanted to take away the magnetometer stations to allow more people inside the grounds, regardless of their weaponry.
"Take the effing mags away," an agitated Trump ordered security personnel moments before taking the stage, Hutchinson recalled.
WHITE HOUSE LAWYERS WORRY OF CRIMES
Trump's lawyers at the White House were trying to tamp down the president's speech to the crowd he had summoned for Jan. 6, and they were trying to stop his plans to go to the Capitol that day when Congress would be certifying the election results for Biden's victory.
Hutchinson testified that lawyer Eric Herschmann said it "would be foolish" to include some of the language the defeated president wanted to add to his speech – comments like fighting for Trump, or him telling the crowd "I'll be there with you." Herschmann warned such language shouldn't be included for legal concerns and because of the optics it would portray.
That language ultimately was used by Trump as he rallied the crowd to "fight like hell" and promised he would join them at the Capitol.
Days before Jan. 6, White House counsel Pat Cipollone suggested there were "serious legal concerns" if Trump went to the Capitol with the crowd, Hutchinson recalled.
"We need to make sure this doesn't happen," she recalled Cipollone saying in the run-up to the rally.
The morning of Jan. 6, Cipollone restated his concerns that if Trump did go to the Capitol to intervene in the certification of the election, "We're going to get charged with every crime imaginable."
Hutchinson then described what happened after the rally as Trump climbed into the presidential SUV, the "beast," as it is called, as relayed to her later by Trump's deputy chief of staff for operations, Tony Ornato.
Trump, inside the vehicle, tried to pry the steering wheel away from the driver, Bobby Engel, demanding to be taken to the Capitol.
Told to take his hand off the wheel, "Mr. Trump then used his free hand to lunge toward Bobby Engel," Hutchinson said holding her left hand to her throat to indicate what Trump did.
Engel was in the room as Ornato relayed the encounter and did not dispute it, she said.
PROXIMITY TO POWER, AND KETCHUP
The hearing opened with a calm, even-spoken Hutchinson explaining her job responsibilities advising Meadows, often handling his cellphones, as the committee showed an architectural rendering of the layout of the West Wing.
Hutchinson's office was situated between the Oval Office on one side and Meadow's office at the end of the hall on the other. Hers was also next to that of the vice president's staff.
She had an upfront view of conversations across the offices and beyond.
Hutchinson described fielding a desperate phone call as she stood backstage at Trump's rally that day from House GOP leader Kevin McCarthy, who was upset that Trump had sent the crowd to the Capitol when she had promised they would not go.
She also told of helping the White House staff mop up ketchup off the walls of the Oval Office dining room after Trump, learning that his attorney general, William Barr, told The Associated Press there was no fraud on a scale to tip the presidential election, apparently hurled a plate of food at the wall.
In one gripping scene Hutchinson recalled walking with Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani out of the White House when he asked if she was "excited about the 6th."
"We're going to the Capitol, it's going to be great, the president's going to be there, he's going to look powerful," she recalled Giuliani saying.
When she returned inside and told Meadows of that conversation, he told her a lot was going on.
"Things might get real, real bad," Meadows told her, she recalled.
`HANG MIKE PENCE'; TRUMP TWEETS
As the mob laid siege to the Capitol, lawyers and some others at the White House wanted Trump to do something to quell the mounting violence.
A makeshift gallows had been erected on the National Mall, as rioters roamed the halls searching for congressional leaders and taunting "Hang Mike Pence." The House and Senate had abruptly halted the proceedings, lawmakers whisked to undisclosed locations for safety.
Hutchinson recalled the conversations inside the Oval Office as she brought Meadows a phone call and later as the White House lawyers implored the chief of staff to get Trump to act.
"You heard it," Meadows told Cipollone, she recalled. "He thinks Mike deserves it. He doesn't think they're doing anything wrong."
Trump then tweeted in the midst of the siege that Pence didn't have the courage to do what he wanted – reject the electors from the battleground states, stopping Biden's election. Hutchinson described the wave of sadness that hit her.
"As a staffer that works always to represent the administration to the best of my ability to showcase the good things he had done for the country, I remember feeling frustrated, disappointed ... I was really sad," she testified.
"As an American, I was disgusted. It was unpatriotic. It was un-American. We were watching the Capitol building get defaced over a lie."
PARDONS, 25TH AMENDMENT
Hutchinson described the thinking at the White House that day as falling into three groups – those who wanted Trump to take action, others toeing the line knowing Trump didn't want to call off the rioters, and a "deflect and blame" group who tried to pin the violence on non-Trump supporters.
Meadows, she said, was in the deflect-and-blame category, but eventually took a more neutral stance.
She had recalled how on the eve of Jan. 6, Meadows wanted to join Giuliani and other Trump allies who had arranged a "war room" at the Willard Hotel to fight for his presidency. She advised her boss she didn't think it was appropriate for the White House or its chief of staff to be involved.
Those closest to Trump, including his daughter Ivanka Trump and son, Don, Jr., were imploring staff to have the president take action to curb the violence, the committee has said.
The committee produced evidence that Cabinet secretaries were considering invoking the Constitution's 25th amendment, which has never been used, to remove the president from office.
Trump was finally convinced to deliver a speech the next day trying to calm the nation.
But Trump also tried unsuccessfully to add to his speech that those involved would be pardoned by him for their actions to avoid criminal prosecution.
Asked if Giuliani was interested in a presidential pardon related to Jan. 6, Hutchinson said he was.
And Meadows? "Mr. Meadows did seek that pardon," she testified of her former boss.
A person familiar with the matter denied that Meadows had ever sought a pardon.
`WE ARE ALL IN HER DEBT'
The Jan. 6 committee was not expected to meet again until July, but called Tuesday's surprise hearing to receive Hutchinson's testimony.
Chairman Bennie Thompson and vice-chair Liz Cheney both said it was not easy for the former staffer to come forward, noting that many others have defied the panel's request for information.
"We are all in her debt," said Cheney, R-Wyo.
Cheney then laid out in chilling detail the kinds of calls and messages some witnesses have told the committee they received before testifying – implying a potential form of witness tampering Cheney said is of serious concern.
One witness said they were told as long as they continued to be "a team player" they could remain in Trump world's good graces. They were reminded that Trump does read transcripts.
Another witness received a call from someone who said a person was aware they were having their deposition the next day and "he wants me to let you know he's thinking about you, he knows you're loyal, you're going to do the right thing."
Said Cheney: "I think most Americans know that attempting to influence witnesses to testify untruthfully presents very serious concerns."
The panel does not have the power to charge Trump with any crimes, but the Justice Department is closely watching the proceedings as its own investigation intensifies.
Trump decried Hutchinson's testimony on social media, saying: "A Total phoney!!!"
Thompson, D-Miss., said the committee's work will continue and he encouraged others to step forward.
"If you heard this testimony today and suddenly remember things you couldn't previously recall or there are some details you would like to clarify ... Our doors remain open," he said.
------
Associated Press writers Farnoush Amiri, Mike Balsamo, Eric Tucker and Nomaan Merchant contributed to this report.
Following the re-election of former U.S. president Donald Trump, former finance minister Bill Morneau says the Canadian government should re-evaluate the timing of some cornerstone Liberal policies.
A team of tornado experts are investigating a path of damage through Wellington County.
Canada has announced changes to their visitor visa policies, effectively ending the automatic issuance of 10-year multiple-entry visas, according to new rules outlined by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.
Timmins-James Bay MP Charlie Angus was among approximately 120 people who gathered Sunday night for a candlelight vigil near the scene of a vicious attack against a 16-year-old in Cobalt.
Across Canada, dignitaries marked Remembrance Day by laying wreaths at ceremonies, school children sang in the late fall chill and veterans recalled the horrors of battle.
A man accused of killing a person and staging it as a fatal bear attack in Tennessee was taken into custody in South Carolina over the weekend on murder charges, in what authorities described as a plot to steal the victim’s identity.
If Earth's astronomical observatories were to pick up a signal from outer space, it would need an all-hands-on-deck effort to decipher the extraterrestrial message. A father-daughter team of citizen scientists recently deciphered the message. Its meaning, however, remains a mystery.
U.S. President Joe Biden and Vice-President Kamala Harris on Monday made their first joint appearance since her U.S. selection loss when they observed Veterans Day together by laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
A B.C. teen has a suspected case of H5N1 avian flu — the first known human to acquire the virus in Canada.
A 15-year-old boy from Kitchener, Ont. is facing a long list of criminal charges as the Waterloo Regional Police Service wraps up a lengthy swatting investigation.
Two nephews of the beloved Harry R. Hamilton share stories about his life and legacy.
Timmins-James Bay MP Charlie Angus was among approximately 120 people who gathered Sunday night for a candlelight vigil near the scene of a vicious attack against a 16-year-old in Cobalt.
A team of tornado experts are investigating a path of damage through Wellington County.
A government-funded report released to Â鶹´«Ã½ highlights 'systemic racism' against dozens of Black executives within the federal public service, including allegations of abuse, violence and harassment that, in some instances, led to suicide.
The federal government is urging both sides in the British Columbia port dispute to return to the table after mediated talks broke off on Saturday, the first of three scheduled days.
U.S. President Joe Biden and Vice-President Kamala Harris on Monday made their first joint appearance since her U.S. selection loss when they observed Veterans Day together by laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
Israel’s new foreign minister said that there has been 'certain progress' in efforts to end the fighting with Lebanon’s Hezbollah.
A Spirit Airlines plane was hit by gunfire Monday over Haiti’s capital Port-au-Prince, according to diplomatic source in the country, resulting in what the airline described as “minor injuries†to one of its crew members.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams is seeking to move up the start of his trial on corruption and bribery charges so he can focus on his campaign for reelection this spring.
A man accused of killing a person and staging it as a fatal bear attack in Tennessee was taken into custody in South Carolina over the weekend on murder charges, in what authorities described as a plot to steal the victim’s identity.
With armed conflict again on their continent, many European leaders marked the end 106 years ago of First World War with warnings that liberty, so often taken as self-evident, should be cherished and defended.
Following the re-election of former U.S. president Donald Trump, former finance minister Bill Morneau says the Canadian government should re-evaluate the timing of some cornerstone Liberal policies.
Murray Sinclair’s family members say the late justice and senator has been laid to rest according to his wishes.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced voters in Cloverdale—Langley City will pick their next member of Parliament on Dec. 16.
A B.C. teen has a suspected case of H5N1 avian flu — the first known human to acquire the virus in Canada.
An opponent of vaccines who urged violence against scientists, politicians and public health officials during the COVID-19 pandemic was sentenced Monday.
Researchers are uncovering deeper insights into how the human brain ages and what factors may be tied to healthier cognitive aging, including exercising, avoiding tobacco, speaking a second language or even playing a musical instrument.
African elephants are Earth's largest land animals, remarkable mammals that are very intelligent and highly social. They also are in peril.
If Earth's astronomical observatories were to pick up a signal from outer space, it would need an all-hands-on-deck effort to decipher the extraterrestrial message. A father-daughter team of citizen scientists recently deciphered the message. Its meaning, however, remains a mystery.
Bernadett 'Bett'†Szabó, a 19-year-old Hungarian sex worker, was murdered in the Dutch capital in 2009. Now, more than 15 years after her death, police are hoping to uncover new information about her killing.
Taylor Swift came out on top at the 2024 MTV EMAs on Sunday, walking away with best artist, best U.S. act, best live act and best video for “Fortnight†(featuring Post Malone).
Chu shared on his Instagram Stories that he and his wife Kristin Hodge welcomed their fifth child on Saturday, writing that he “can’t believe this happened while the movie is premiering.â€
On Thursday morning, Dave Penny officially ended a suggested hundred-day isolation period that followed his diagnosis and stem cell treatment for non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. On Thursday night, Penny returned to a stage at a downtown St. John's bar, regaling a small crowd with songs and stories with a distinctive Newfoundland flair.
As money continues to pour into crypto following Donald Trump's victory last week, bitcoin has climbed to yet another record high.
Most U.S. stocks are rising Monday and adding to the gains made during their best week of the year.
Business groups are raising concerns about the broad effects of another round of labour disruptions in the transport sector as Canada faces shutdowns at its two biggest ports.
Doom spending, or the practice of spending money to soothe fears about broader issues like politics or the economy, shows up everywhere from YouTube and TikTok videos to Reddit to personal finance discussions and data in surveys.
A Vancouver designer is making waves in the architectural world with an outdoor modular building created to address the city’s unrelenting housing crisis.
A rare letter signed by three of the U.S. Founding Fathers of the United States is going on sale, and is expected to fetch up to US$1 million when it goes under the hammer next week.\
Canada will be without captain Alphonso Davies for its upcoming CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinal against Suriname.
Pat McLaughlin is stepping down as Hockey Canada's chief operating officer and executive vice-president of strategy, the governing body announced Monday.
The Edmonton Oilers may have found the break they were looking for.
Select Porsche owners in Canada have been told to stop driving their cars immediately and to seek repairs after an issue was identified that could cause wheels to separate from vehicles.
A driver's trip from London, Ont. to Ottawa to visit their girlfriend ended in a traffic stop for speeding on Highway 417, according to police.
Recall notices have been issued for some Volkswagen models from 2006 to 2019 for airbag safety issues.
A congestion crisis, a traffic nightmare, or unrelenting gridlock -- whatever you call it, most agree that Toronto has a congestion problem. To alleviate some of the gridlock, the Ontario government has announced it plans to remove bike lanes from three major roadways.
For the second year in a row, the ‘Gift-a-Family’ campaign is hoping to make the holidays happier for children and families in need throughout Barrie.
Some of the most prolific photographers behind CTV Skywatch Pics of the Day use the medium for fun, therapy, and connection.
A young family from Codroy Valley, N.L., is happy to be on land and resting with their newborn daughter, Miley, after an overwhelming, yet exciting experience at sea.
As Connor Nijsse prepared to remove some old drywall during his garage renovation, he feared the worst.
A group of women in Chester, N.S., has been busy on the weekends making quilts – not for themselves, but for those in need.
A Vancouver artist whose streetside singing led to a chance encounter with one of the world's biggest musicians is encouraging aspiring performers to try their hand at busking.
Ten-thousand hand-knit poppies were taken from the Sanctuary Arts Centre and displayed on the fence surrounding the Dartmouth Cenotaph on Monday.
A Vancouver man is saying goodbye to his nine-to-five and embarking on a road trip from the Canadian Arctic to Antarctica.
A B.C. woman who stole more than $14,000 in volunteer-raised funds that were supposed to be spent on school supplies and programs – including hot meals for vulnerable kids – won't spend any time in jail.
A B.C. teen has a suspected case of H5N1 avian flu — the first known human to acquire the virus in Canada.
Discounts abound at a new eatery in downtown Vancouver that offers pizzas and fry towers at a base price of $9.11, as a tribute to first responders.
Several hundred people gathered outside the Ontario legislature in Toronto to honour veterans and remember those who died fighting for their country.
Toronto is expected to see an economic boost to the tune of nearly $300 million thanks to Taylor Swift’s upcoming Eras Tour, which will be making a stop in Canada’s largest city for a six-show run later this month.
A man believed to be in his 40s has been rushed to a trauma centre following a stabbing in downtown Toronto.
Calgarians observed Remembrance Day at a number of different ceremonies across the city on Monday, including at the Hangar Flight Museum.
A memorial walk was held Sunday afternoon by the Calgary branch of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress to “honour the Canadian soldiers who died fighting for peace in the past and the Ukrainian soldiers who are giving their lives for freedom today,†according to a media release.
July 2025 may seem like it’s in the distant future, but for the St. Luke playground committee time is ticking to fundraise the $340,000 they still need to build a new playground.
Crowds gathered in Ottawa and eastern Ontario on Monday to honour the sacrifice of men and women in uniform who gave their lives in service of Canada.
The company confirms it will open the new Chipotle at 5671 Hazeldean Road on Thursday, in the former location of Benny & Co.
The Fleet Street Pumping station is Ottawa's oldest water facility. Up to two-thirds of the city's water supply can move through it,
A 36-year-old Montreal man who was out on bail after allegedly uttering death threats to a woman is now accused of murdering her on the South Shore.
Hundreds of people gathered in downtown Montreal on Monday to mark Remembrance Day and honour Canadians who sacrificed their lives in the great wars and beyond.
Private Martine Roy was only 20 years old in 1984 when she was arrested, interrogated and dismissed from the Canadian Armed Forces for being what was then termed a "sexual deviant."
Edmonton's Beverly Memorial Cenotaph on Monday hosted its 104th Remembrance Day service to honour past and present veterans.
Across Canada, dignitaries marked Remembrance Day by laying wreaths at ceremonies, school children sang in the late fall chill and veterans recalled the horrors of battle.
A member of Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Edmonton participated in the national Remembrance Day Ceremony in Ottawa on Monday.
Thousands of Maritimers turned out in wet weather Monday to remember those who have served, and continue to serve, in Canada's armed forces for Remembrance Day.
A Cape Breton senior recalls her life in German-occupied France, and her mother’s death, during the Second World War.
Thousand of people gathered at the Menin Gate in the Ypres, Belgium for Monday’s Remembrance Day Ceremony.
Thousands gathered at the RBC Convention Centre on Monday to bear witness to a sombre and historic Remembrance Day ceremony.
Four teenagers have been arrested in connection with the attack and robbery of a 62-year-old woman.
A sacred fire burning in Winnipeg has brought healing and hope to some members of Xavia Skye Lynn Butler’s family.
November 11th marks a solemn day across Canada, and Regina is no exception.
Fire crews reported that no one was hurt after flames broke out in a home on Robinson Street in central Regina.
Regina author Valerie Crowther is celebrating the release of her book ‘War Letters: Linking Lives in the Second World War.’
A team of tornado experts are investigating a path of damage through Wellington County.
A 15-year-old boy from Kitchener, Ont. is facing a long list of criminal charges as the Waterloo Regional Police Service wraps up a lengthy swatting investigation.
Staff say future affordable housing projects in the Region of Waterloo could be very costly.
Saskatchewan RCMP are searching for a suspect after a man was seriously injured in a farm-related incident in Montreal Lake.
It was a somber day at Mosaic Stadium as members of the Saskatchewan Roughriders officially cleaned out their stalls and closed the book on the 2024 season.
The Regina Rams claimed the Hardy Cup after a hard fought battle against the Saskatoon Huskies 19-14 on Saturday in the first all Saskatchewan U-Sports western conference final since 2002.
Timmins-James Bay MP Charlie Angus was among approximately 120 people who gathered Sunday night for a candlelight vigil near the scene of a vicious attack against a 16-year-old in Cobalt.
Across Canada, dignitaries marked Remembrance Day by laying wreaths at ceremonies, school children sang in the late fall chill and veterans recalled the horrors of battle.
If Earth's astronomical observatories were to pick up a signal from outer space, it would need an all-hands-on-deck effort to decipher the extraterrestrial message. A father-daughter team of citizen scientists recently deciphered the message. Its meaning, however, remains a mystery.
Oxford OPP say that they are investigating a collision that resulted in serious injuries on Sunday evening.
There are more than 50 cenotaphs across midwestern Ontario acknowledging the region's contribution to the First and Second World War, Korean War, and conflict in the Middle East.
A team of tornado experts are investigating a path of damage through Wellington County.
A Barrie man is accused of being at the centre of an alleged $2.2 million stolen used car scheme.
An unseasonably mild fall in Simcoe County has put any hopes for an early start to the ski season on hold, still, one local resort has its sights set on the slopes.
Midland has become the latest among urban mayors to call on the province to enact a controversial clause to tackle the homeless crisis.
A local high school honoured veterans of the “Forgotten War†on Monday.
Upwards of 1000 handmade poppies are on display outside Lifetimes on Riverside Retirement home on Riverside Drive East, part of its fourth annual Poppy Project.
After a Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) worker took their own life while on shift at the Ambassador Bridge Saturday, Â鶹´«Ã½ Public Safety Analyst Chris Lewis highlighted the mental health burdens faced daily by law enforcement.
A B.C. woman who stole more than $14,000 in volunteer-raised funds that were supposed to be spent on school supplies and programs – including hot meals for vulnerable kids – won't spend any time in jail.
A B.C. teen has a suspected case of H5N1 avian flu — the first known human to acquire the virus in Canada.
Environment Canada says heavy rain and winds could cause power outages on Vancouver Island as an "intense" storm system is set to hit the B.C. coast Sunday.
A B.C. woman who stole more than $14,000 in volunteer-raised funds that were supposed to be spent on school supplies and programs – including hot meals for vulnerable kids – won't spend any time in jail.
The emergency department at South Okanagan General Hospital in Oliver, B.C., will be closed for 31 hours this weekend, the second such closure in a week and the third since the start of November.
Police in Kamloops, B.C., are reminding parents and guardians to check their children's Halloween candy after receiving a report of a mother finding a razor blade in one of her daughter's treats.
The Southern Alberta Recreation Association is officially announcing the Town of Taber as next year’s host for the Southern Alberta Summer Games.
The Lethbridge Hurricanes broke open a close game with three goals in the first two minutes of the third period as they defeated the Warriors 7-3 in a game played Friday night in Moose Jaw.
There might not a lot snow just yet, but many southern Albertans are still itching to get outdoors.
Timmins-James Bay MP Charlie Angus was among approximately 120 people who gathered Sunday night for a candlelight vigil near the scene of a vicious attack against a 16-year-old in Cobalt.
It was just days before the COVID-19 pandemic shut the world down when the Shaft Bottom Boys of Sudbury broke a world record for 'Deepest Concert Underground.' Now, more than four years later, a Timmins band is looking to take the title.
Police say that a 16-year-old was attacked with a sword Nov. 3 in Cobalt, Ont., in a case of intimate partner violence.
Police in Newfoundland say a man was electrocuted Saturday by a downed power wire about 10 kilometres north of St. John's, N.L.
On Thursday morning, Dave Penny officially ended a suggested hundred-day isolation period that followed his diagnosis and stem cell treatment for non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. On Thursday night, Penny returned to a stage at a downtown St. John's bar, regaling a small crowd with songs and stories with a distinctive Newfoundland flair.
A Memorial University scientist says the mysterious white blobs washing up on Newfoundland beaches are actually gobs of plastic -- and they need to be cleaned up.
The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at Â鶹´«Ã½. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop. Read about us.
