Trump posted a video on his personal website addressing the testimony.
QUICK FACTS:
- President Donald Trump responded to statements made by former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson, who made multiple accusations against the former president.
- According to Trump, Hutchinson’s testimony before the Jan. 6 committee was untrue and entirely fabricated: “Her whole story was made up, including the fact that I wanted guns to be standing all around me, during my speech. Who would want that?!” Trump’s statement said.
- Hutchinson, a former aide to White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, claimed that Trump wanted to keep metal detectors from reducing the size of his “Stop the Steal” rally by allowing supporters with guns allowed into the event.
- She also asserted that the president lunged at Secret Service agents and attempted to force his vehicle in another direction by grabbing the wheel.
TRUMP’S COMMENTS ON THE COMMITTEE HEARING:
- During an exclusive interview on Newsmax TV, the former president addressed the claims made by Hutchinson, issuing a complete denial: “She said I jumped from a car and I started strangling?” Trump said incredulously.
- “Think of this, I started strangling a Secret Service agent, who I know very well. I grabbed a steering wheel of a car that said that I wanted guns at my rally. I didn’t want guns at my rally. I have to speak too, I didn’t want guns,” Trump added.
- When asked by the interviewer if there was any truth to the accusation that he grabbed the steering wheel while being transported by his security team, Trump responded saying, “Of course not.”
- “In fact, the Secret Service came out and said this story is totally false. The woman is living in [a] fantasy land, she’s a social climber,” Trump said, going on to ask, “Who would do that?” He also said that even if he had wanted to attack, it would have been “very hard” because “these guys lift 350lbs.”
BACKGROUND:
- The president also claimed that the Jan. 6 committee’s lack of influence was based on the fact that there was no opposition cross-examination.
- The president pointed out that of the two Republican-affiliated members, one has quit and the other has not seemed to represent the interests of the opposition.
- “You can’t do when you have a hearing and there’s no cross-examination,” Trump said. “this would have been the easiest cross examination anywhere.”
