Closing arguments
2 Trump White House aides expected to testify in Jan. 6 committee's 2nd prime-time hearings
The House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection is holding its second prime-time hearing Thursday night, and its last scheduled session of the summer. The committee says it plans to use the televised hearing to detail what former President Donald Trump did — and did not — do for 187 minutes while his supporters stormed the Capitol to stop President Biden's electoral ratification.
Former White House officials Matthew Pottinger and Sarah Matthews are expected to testify in person, CNN, The Associated Press, and The New York Times reported Monday night. Pottinger, who was deputy national security adviser on Jan. 6, and Matthews, deputy White House press secretary, were both in the White House on Jan. 6 and both resigned right after the riot. Pottinger was "the highest-ranking White House official to resign on Jan. 6," the Times reports.
Rep. Elaine Luria (D-Va.), who will lead the hearings with Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.), told CNN on Sunday that the committee will "go through pretty much minute by minute" of Trump's actions, adding, "He was doing nothing to actually stop the riot."
"Previous hearings have detailed chaos in the White House and aides and outsiders were begging the president to tell the rioters to leave," AP recaps.
"This is going to open people's eyes in a big way," Kinzinger told CBS News. "I'll give you this preview: The president didn't do very much but gleefully watch television during this time frame," he added. "The president didn't do anything, and we're going to fill those blanks in, and if the American people watch this — particularly I say this to my fellow Republicans: Watch this with an open mind, and is this the kind of strong leader you really think you deserve?"
The Jan. 6 committee says it is learning new information every day, and has reserved the right to hold more hearings later in the summer or in the fall. If Republicans win the House in November midterms, they are widely expected to disband the committee.