The Jan. 6 committee on Thursday unanimously voted to subpoena former President Donald Trump as a part of its inquiry into the 2021 Capitol riot, NBC News reports. Panel members had previously said such a request was not off the table.
News of the plan first arrived during what was expected to be the committee's final hearing on Thursday afternoon.
Committe Chair Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) appeared to allude to such a move at the start of the hearing, noting that the panel could vote on "further investigative action" since the Thursday event was technically a "formal committee business meeting," per The New York Times and CNBC. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) was apparently made aware of the plan before proceedings began, the Times adds, per a source.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
It's almost certain that Trump will fight the subpoena, "and attempts to enforce it" will likely lead "to a protracted legal battle," the Times adds. That said, the panel's subpoena expires at the end of the current congressional term — so it has to act fast.
Trump isn't the first former president to be subpoenaed by Congress, NBC News notes: "Several sitting and former presidents and vice presidents have also testified before congressional committees, including Presidents Abraham Lincoln, Woodrow Wilson, and Gerald R. Ford."
"We have sufficient information to consider criminal referrals for multiple individuals, and to recommend a range of legislative proposals to guard against another Jan. 6th, but a key task remains," Vice Chair Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) said Thursday. "We must seek the testimony under oath of Jan. 6th's central player."
Update 4 p.m. ET: This article has been updated throughout to reflect the vote to subpoena Trump.
-
Political cartoons for October 18Cartoons Saturday's editorial cartoons include conversion therapy, Russ Vought, and more
-
President Trump: ‘waging war’ on ChicagoTalking Point Federal agents are carrying out ‘increasingly aggressive’ immigration raids – but have sanctuary cities like Chicago brought it on themselves?
-
Sudoku medium: October 18, 2025The Week's daily medium sudoku puzzle
-
DOJ indicts John Bolton over classified filesSpeed Read Continuing the trend of going after his political enemies, Trump prosecutes his former national security adviser
-
Trump, Putin set summit as Zelenskyy lands in DCSpeed Read Trump and Putin have agreed to meet in Budapest soon to discuss ending the war in Ukraine
-
Courts deal setbacks to Trump’s Chicago operations
Speed Read President Donald Trump cannot deploy the National Guard in Illinois
-
‘The illusion of wealth can encourage people to take on more debt’instant opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Pentagon reporters turn in badges after refusing rulesSpeed Read They refused to sign a restrictive new press policy imposed by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth
-
Supreme Court points to gutting Voting Rights Actspeed read States would no longer be required to consider race when drawing congressional maps
-
Trump says he authorized covert CIA ops in VenezuelaSpeed Read He is also considering military strikes inside the country
-
Are inflatable costumes and naked bike rides helping or hurting ICE protests?Talking Points Trump administration efforts to portray Portland and Chicago as dystopian war zones have been met with dancing frogs, bare butts and a growing movement to mock MAGA doomsaying
