WASHINGTON — Stewart Rhodes tried to get a message to former President Donald Trump urging him to stop the transfer of power shortly after the U.S. Capitol riot, according to a witness in the criminal trial of the Oath Keepers founder.
In a message that was never delivered, Rhodes tried to warn Trump that he and his children would die in prison if he failed to invoke the Insurrection Act, according to Jason Alpers, who testified for the government. The Insurrection Act gives the president power to call on armed forces in certain situations.
“And us veterans will die in combat on U.S. soil fighting against traitors who you turned all of the powers of the presidency to,” Rhodes wrote in the message, which was shown to the jury. Alpers, who said he has an indirect link to Trump, was asked to pass the message along to the former president.
