Another former confidant of Donald Trump has defied the former president and opened up to federal prosecutors about behind-the-scenes machinations on the day of the Capitol riot.
Dan Scavino, who served as White House deputy chief of staff for communications during the Trump administration, told the special counsel's office about the former president's anger over a “stolen election” as riots raged at the Capitol. Told. ABC reported.
Mr. Scavino was subpoenaed to testify and was one of the few aides who had direct access to President Trump when the chaos erupted.
As the attack on the Capitol unfolded, President Trump said he had “no interest” in taking additional steps to quell the riot, but rather was “very angry” about what he described as a stolen election. Scavino reportedly told investigators.
Scavino began working with Trump as a teenager and quickly rose through the ranks to help manage Trump's White House communications game.
Scavino told Special Counsel Jack Smith's team that during the riot, Trump folded his arms and at times remained silent, staring at the television.
This account is based on what witnesses told the now-defunct House Select Committee on President Trump's failure to take action during the ransack of the Capitol. That seems to confirm a lot.
Another former Trump aide also recalled to investigators the president's reaction when he heard that then-Vice President Mike Pence had been taken to a secure location.
“So what?” he recounted President Trump's remarks, according to ABC.
Some members of the mob were chanting about hanging Pence. But President Trump was angry that his No. 2 did not disqualify him from the election.
Shortly after the riot broke out, Trump's aides urged him to take action.
At some point they gave him space. Shortly after, a message appeared on Mr. Pence's Twitter account (now known as the X account) suggesting that Mr. Pence “didn't have the courage to do what he should have done.”
Aides panicked behind the scenes over the inflammatory message. About 30 minutes after Trump's aides first urged the response, the then-president gave Scavino, now known as X, permission to post a peaceful plea to the rioters on Twitter, according to ABC. It is said that he gave it.
Scavino told Smith's team that Trump had been watching the riot on television and said, “At that moment, he had no interest whatsoever in making anything public.”
President Trump heeded the pleas of his son-in-law Jared Kushner and later recorded a video addressing the crisis, in which he repeated dubious claims that “this was a fraudulent election” and called the rioters “very “A special existence.”
Scavino reportedly characterized the day as “very disturbing” and said he hoped Trump would usher in a peaceful transfer of power.
Scavino told Smith's team that he told Trump on the night of January 6, 2021, that “all your legacy here is smoke coming out of the Capitol.”
Much of what Mr. Scavino revealed in his interviews with the Trump campaign corroborates publicly available information on the day of the riot, but his cooperation was important because of his close proximity to Mr. Trump that day.
Scavino is one of several key advisers, including former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, White House Counsel Pat Cipollone, Deputy Presidential Counsel Patrick Philbin, and former Trump aide Nick Luna. , and investigators believe they have important insight into President Trump's activities around that day. .
Scavino initially cited executive privilege when asked for a subpoena by a House committee on Jan. 6. The commission and Congress then moved to hold him in contempt in 2022.
Ultimately, despite recommendations from Congress, the Justice Department declined to file charges against both Scavino and Meadows.
But prosecutors have since investigated and convicted Trump ally Steve Bannon and Trump's former manufacturing leader Peter Navarro.
The two are fighting for that belief. The newspaper has contacted spokespeople for Trump and Smith for comment.
Smith's team indicted Trump on four counts of attempting to interfere with the 2020 election and 34 counts of storing classified documents.
Trump faces two other charges, but denies wrongdoing and has pleaded not guilty to all pending charges. He said his 2020 election trial was scheduled to begin on March 4.
