The 1/6 committee will seek testimony from Donald Trump about the coup plot and Capitol attack.
The committee is almost certain to seek testimony from Trump himself; it has long been seen as a fait accompli. While members of the panel have treaded cautiously around the question of whether to call the former president, it’s clear through court filings — and one landmark ruling by a federal judge — that their probe has revealed compelling evidence he broke the law in his efforts to prevent the peaceful transfer of power.
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The panel members view Trump as the singular cause of the violence that occurred on Jan. 6. But there’s little expectation that Trump will cooperate with the committee, which he’s derided for months. Whether the panel requests that Trump appear voluntarily or take a more confrontational approach is still unclear.
For all of his tough public talk, Trump runs away from anything that suggests that he may have criminal liability, so the odds of him participating are close to zero, Trump could try to shape the narrative by providing written testimony, but he won’t get away with lying to the committee as he did with Mueller.
If Trump provided testimony to the 1/6 Committee that contained false statements, he would be referred for criminal prosecution. Trump’s stonewalling tactics have failed in the 1/6 investigation, and the former president has not been able to hide documents and information.
Should the committee try to subpoena him, Trump will tie it up in court until after the midterm election. The 1/6 Committee should give Trump every opportunity to participate. When he refuses to do so, they should use all of the facts they have collected to tell America the story of actions, choices, and behavior in the pre and post 1/6 period after the 2020 election.
Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
