Jan. 6 committee probing whether Trump used 'burner phone' during 7-hour call log gap


White House records turned over to the Jan. 6 committee reportedly show a gap of more than seven hours in former President Donald Trump's phone calls from that day.
A report in The Washington Post from Bob Woodward and CBS News' Robert Costa on Tuesday said the records provided to the committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol showed a gap of seven hours and 37 minutes in Trump's phone calls, including during the time when the Capitol was being attacked by rioters. There was not an official record of phone calls Trump made from 11:17 a.m. all the way through 6:45 p.m, the report says.
The report also says the House panel probing the Jan. 6 riot is investigating whether Trump may have communicated that day through backchannels or possibly using "burner phones." But in a statement to the Post, Trump claimed he didn't even know what a burner phone is.
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.
"I have no idea what a burner phone is, to the best of my knowledge I have never even heard the term," Trump said.
A spokesperson for Trump also told the Post the former president assumed all of his phone calls were being recorded and preserved, but an anonymous lawmaker said the Jan. 6 the panel is investigating a "possible coverup." Read the full report at The Washington Post.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
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.
-
Museum head ousted after Trump sword gift denial
Speed Read Todd Arrington, who led the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum, denied the Trump administration a sword from the collection as a gift for King Charles
-
Trump declares ‘armed conflict’ with drug cartels
speed read This provides a legal justification for recent lethal military strikes on three alleged drug trafficking boats
-
Supreme Court rules for Fed’s Cook in Trump feud
Speed Read Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook can remain in her role following Trump’s attempts to oust her
-
Judge rules Trump illegally targeted Gaza protesters
Speed Read The Trump administration’s push to arrest and deport international students for supporting Palestine is deemed illegal
-
Trump: US cities should be military ‘training grounds’
Speed Read In a hastily assembled summit, Trump said he wants the military to fight the ‘enemy within’ the US
-
US government shuts down amid health care standoff
Speed Read Democrats said they won’t vote for a deal that doesn’t renew Affordable Care Act health care subsidies
-
YouTube to pay Trump $22M over Jan. 6 expulsion
Speed Read The president accused the company of censorship following the suspension of accounts post-Capitol riot
-
Oregon sues to stop Trump military deployment
Speed Read The president wants to send the National Guard into Portland