Trump Responding to Cassidy Hutchinson

Mash up of Trump and White House Aides testimony. A former White House aide on Tuesday described for members of Congress how former President Donald Trump on Jan. 6, 2021, lunged at the head of his security detail and tried to grab the steering wheel of their vehicle when told he couldn't accompany supporters trying to stop the certification of the 2020 election at the U.S. Capitol.Show more

Cassidy Hutchinson, who served as a top adviser for former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, also said Trump was fully aware that some of those just outside the fencing for his "Stop the Steal" rally that day were armed and urged Secret Service to allow them into the rally, saying, "They're not here to hurt me."

After leaving the rally, she said, in some of the most compelling testimony to date given to the Democrat-led U.S. House committee investigating the attack on the Capitol, Trump fully expected to go with supporters to the Capitol and was livid when he was rerouted to the White House. She also said when Trump was informed that the crowd attacking the Capitol was chanting "Hang Mike Pence," his own vice president, who was required to oversee the certification, she quoted Meadows as saying Trump "thinks he deserves it" and that Trump didn't think "they (the rioters) are doing anything wrong."

Hutchinson had previously worked for House Republican Whip Steve Scalise of Louisiana and Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas before joining the White House staff in 2019. As such, she was in regular contact with Meadows, his deputy and Republican House leaders, and was part of or overheard conversations with those officials and others, including Rudy Giuliani, Trump's lawyer, up to and on Jan. 6. 2021.