A bombshell report released in January by ABC News alleged that Trump did not write a tweet that called protesters to be “peaceful.” Instead, sources close to Jack Smith’s investigation said that the former President was not interested in stopping the violence once it escalated.
Top aides to the rescue
ABC News and Business Insider reported in early January that a top aide was the one who drafted the tweet calling protestors to “stay peaceful.” Though many politicians do not write their social media posts, this is crucial information since it will reportedly be used in Trump’s defense in the case of alleged attempts to overturn the 2020 elections.
Warnings to Trump and Pence
Per reports, former Trump aide Nick Luna warned Trump that Mike Pence, his Vice President, needed to be taken to another location. To which Trump allegedly replied, “So what?” The protestors chanted, “Hang Mike Pence,” and there was even a guillotine on the West side of the US Capitol.
Trump posted about Pence
On then-Twitter, the 45th president wrote how Pence “didn’t have the courage to do what should have been done,” which allegedly shocked Trump’s advisers. As the violence grew, Trump’s adviser and former deputy chief of staff, Dan Scavino, stated Trump was “just not interested” in calming the situation.
Other names mentioned
The ABC report added how several other Trump aides were near him during the January 6 riots, including then-Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, then-White House counsel Pat Cipollone, and Cipollone’s ex-deputy, Pat Philbin. Mark Meadows was reportedly granted immunity in October 2023.
More damning claims
Sources close to Special Counsel Jack Smith alleged that Scavino told Trump on the night of January 6, “This is all your legacy here, and there’s smoke coming out of the Capitol.”
Trump was “angry”
According to what Scavino reportedly told Smith’s team, Trump was “angry” not because of the violence but because he thought the elections were taken from him and his followers. Scavino, according to the same ABC News sources, said the whole scene was “very unsettling.”
Ivanka Trump’s role
The same sources said that Ivanka Trump, the former President’s daughter, allegedly “rushed down to the Oval Office dining room.” Per the congressional report, Ivanka, who worked as an Advisor to the President, urged her father to use social media to “discourage violence.”
Too late
Minutes after the post on then-Twitter went calling for “peaceful” protests, Ashli Babbitt was shot dead while trying to break the barricaded entrance. Three years after her death, Babbitt’s family are suing the government, citing wrongful death. Babbitt was shot by Capitol Police Officer Lt. Michael Byrd, who was in charge of protecting Congress members.
“Second-hand hearsay”
Trump’s spokesperson said this is all “second-hand hearsay,” Business Insider reported. In an email sent to the publication, the spokesperson added, “Dan Scavino is one of President Trump’s longest-serving, most loyal allies, and his actual testimony shows just how strong President Trump is positioned in this case.”
If Scavino really spoke up
If Scavino cooperated with the DOJ, Trump would be in “real trouble,” said the former Illinois lawmaker Adam Kinzinger, adding, “It reaffirms what we’ve already known, but it’s very impactful. For 187 minutes, for over three hours, Donald Trump sat there watching his insurrection in action and did not act.”
Accusations of inaction
Democrats in the House accused Trump of inaction, with the House Select Committee claiming he committed “an utter moral failure” and “a clear dereliction of duty.” But it was not just Democrats who disapproved of Trump’s alleged inaction.
Outside MAGA Republicans
Liz Cheney, Mike Pence, Chris Christie, and numerous other high-profile conservatives spoke against conspiracy theories that came after the Capitol riots and Trump’s behavior on January 6. Pence told CNN in January 2024, “As I’ve said many times before, the former President’s words that day were reckless. I believe history will judge his role in that.”
Other allegations against Trump regarding January 6
The Independent reported in January 2021 that Trump was allegedly upset with his supporters’ appearance. Olivia Nuzzi alleged on now X, “Donald Trump was annoyed by the violent siege on the Capitol Wednesday — which left several dead — because it looked ‘low class,’ according to his adviser. ‘He doesn’t like low-class things.'” The post is still up.
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