A newly released transcript of an interview with a Secret Service agent on Monday, March 11, 2024, has sparked criticism from the House GOP. The released transcript reveals Donald Trump’s actions on January 6, 2021.
Following the 2021 Capitol riot, Trump has faced accusations of inciting unrest. Many argued he incited the Capitol riot by spreading unfound claims of widespread voter fraud to his 2020 election supporters. Consequently, that led to a violent protest as part of a larger effort to block Joe Biden’s 2020 Electoral College victory.
However, despite the widespread accusations, Trump has maintained his innocence. He also accused prosecutors of a “witch hunt” and investigating him to derail him politically. Since the riot, there have been claims that Trump lunged at a Secret Service agent’s throat.
There were also claims that he grabbed the steering wheel of the presidential limousine in an attempt to join his supporters rioting at the Capitol. Cassidy Hutchinson, a former aide to White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, alleged during a January 6 select committee hearing in 2022.
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However, as another secret service agent told her, Hutchinson noted that she did not know directly about the incident. Although Trump previously denied these claims, a newly released transcript gives credence to the former President’s assertion.
The transcript of an interview by House investigators of a Secret Service agent who drove Trump’s vehicle on January 6, 2021, disputes the allegations. The transcript says Trump did not grab the steering wheel or lunge at another agent, as Hutchinson alleged.
According to the transcript, Trump wanted to go to the Capitol. However, his lead agent, Robert Engel, told him no plan was in place. “The president was insistent on going to the Capitol,” the unidentified driver said. “It was clear to me he wanted to go to the Capitol. He was not screaming at Mr. Engel.”
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“He was not screaming at me. Certainly, he raised his voice,” the driver continued. “But it did not seem to me that he was irate, certainly not,” the driver added. “Certainly didn’t seem as irritated or agitated as he had on the way to the Ellipse.”
Furthermore, the secret service agent noted that Trump never lunged at the steering wheel or Engel. However, he added that Trump’s voice stood out more. “I did not see him reach,” the Secret Service driver told investigators for the House panel.
“He never grabbed the steering wheel.” The driver added, “You know, what stood out was the irritation in his voice more than his physical presence.” Following the transcript’s release, Republicans blasted the Select Committee for withholding evidence.
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“The testimony of these four White House employees directly contradicts claims made by Cassidy Hutchinson,” the GOP statement said. “None of the White House employees corroborated Hutchinson’s story about President Trump lunging for the steering wheel of the Beast.”
Since Hutchinson’s public testimony in 2022, Republicans have attacked her credibility. Also, they disputed the SUV incident, which she allegedly heard about but did not witness. Beyond the dispute over Trump’s potential SUV lunge, some of the newly released transcripts corroborate other testimonies.
Hutchinson and others said Trump became enraged that bodyguards refused his demands to take him to the Capitol. Hence, the January 6 panel condemned Trump’s desire to join the mob at the Capitol. They argued that he supported their attempts to disrupt the congressional certification of the 2020 election physically.
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