Then-President Donald Trump on Jan. 6, 2021, wanted his armed supporters to pack his Ellipse rally that day and grew so angry when the Secret Service would not allow him to lead the mob’s charge up Capitol Hill that he tried to grab the steering wheel away from a Secret Service agent before lunging at the neck of his top bodyguard.
Those were among the many bombshell anecdotes Cassidy Hutchinson, a former top aide to then-White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows and a special assistant to Trump, revealed Tuesday during historic and gripping testimony before the House Jan. 6 select committee. The 26-year-old Hutchinson testified that Trump was aware of the threat of violence at the Capitol before taking the stage at his “Stop the Steal” rally and vigorously wanted to be a part of the procession to the legislative complex. What’s more, she claimed White House counsel Pat Cipollone and other West Wing legal advisers were extremely worried about potential criminal exposure.
She told the select committee that Meadows, prior to the riot day, was aware violence at the Capitol was possible. He allegedly told Hutchinson “things might get real, real bad on Jan. 6.” Meadows has refused to testify before the select panel.
