Witness says Trump knew Jan. 6 rioters had weapons: 'They're not here to hurt me'

Former President Donald Trump said on Jan. 6, 2021, that he didn't care that his supporters had weapons and that he wanted the Secret Service to allow them into his rally, a witness has testified.

Cassidy Hutchinson, former aide to former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, told the Jan. 6 committee that Trump was upset the day of the Capitol riot that the Secret Service was screening attendees of his rally for weapons. "He wanted it full, and he was angry that we weren't letting people through the mags with weapons," she said, referring to magnetometers used to screen for weapons. Trump spoke at a rally in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 6 prior to his supporters storming the Capitol in an attempt to prevent Congress from certifying the election results.

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Brendan Morrow

Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.