Cassidy Hutchinson, who served as a top aide to former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, offered damning testimony as the witness during the Jan. 6 Select Committee’s public hearing on Tuesday.
In addition to recalling then-President Trump and his allies’ reluctance to call off the violence as it unfolded at the Capitol, Hutchinson detailed various moments of Trump throwing a tantrum when those around him wouldn’t comply with his requests before and during Jan. 6.
Trump Got Physical With His Secret Service Chief, Who Refused To Take Him To The Capitol
During his speech at the “Stop the Steal” rally on the Ellipse hours before the deadly Capitol insurrection, Trump declared that he would be marching with his supporters to the Capitol — despite warnings from his closest aides and advisers that he should not say or do that.
Trump aides such as then-White House counsel Pat Cipollone swiftly sounded the alarm, Hutchinson testified. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) even called Hutchinson after Trump spoke to ensure that the President did not come to the Capitol.
Hutchinson recalled Cipollone telling her that she must ensure that Trump and other White House officials do not go to the Capitol.
Trump was in his motorcade when he learned that it was not heading to the Capitol, but to the White House instead, Hutchinson testified.
The then-President did not take the news well. Hutchinson recalled a meeting with the head of Trump’s security detail, Robert Engel, and White House Deputy Chief of Staff Tony Ornato at the White House following the rally. According to Hutchinson, Ornato said that Trump told him, “I’m the effing president, take me up to the Capitol now.” Engel backed up Ornato’s account, having told Trump that there weren’t enough resources to keep Trump safe if he were to travel to the Capitol.
Frustrated with the resistance to his request, Trump then “reached up towards the front of the vehicle to grab at the steering wheel” and Engel grabbed his arm, Hutchinson testified.
Hutchinson said that Trump then “used his free hand” to lunge at Engle.
Trump Threw His Lunch At The Wall After Barr Debunked Big Lie
Hutchinson testified that even before Jan. 6, Trump made a mess — literally! — when Attorney General Bill Barr told the Associated Press in Dec. 2020 that the Justice Department had not found evidence of election fraud that would change the results.
Trump had “thrown his lunch against the wall” after he heard the news, Hutchinson testified.
Hutchinson recalled helping the valet clean up ketchup “dripping down the wall” as a result of Trump’s tantrum.
“I grabbed a towel and started wiping the ketchup off the wall to help the valet out,” Hutchinson testified, adding that the then-President would sometimes throw dishes and flip table cloths in the middle of fuming about something.
