Article two of our Constitution requires that the president swear
very specific oath every four years.
Every president swears or affirms to faithfully execute the office
of president of the United States.
And to the best of their ability, preserve, protect and defend the
constitution of the United States.
The president also assumes the constitutional duty to take care.
That our nation's laws be faithfully executed and is the commander
in chief of our military.
Our hearings have shown the many ways in which President Trump
I tried to stop the peaceful transfer of power in the days leading
up to January, 6th.
With each step of his plan. He betrayed his oath of office and was
derelict in his duty.
Tonight we will further examine President Trump's actions on the
day of the attack on the capital.
Early that afternoon, President Trump instructed tens of thousands
of supporters at and near the Ellipse rally, a number of whom he
knew were armed with various types of weapons to March to the capital.
After telling the crowd to march multiple times, he promised he would
be with them.
And finished his remarks at 1 10 PM like this,
walk down, and I'll be there with you.
We're gonna walk down.
We're going to walk down.
Anyone you want, but I think right here we're going to walk down
to the capital.
So let's walk down Pennsylvania Avenue.
By this time the vice president was in the capital. The joint session
of Congress to certify Joe Biden's victory was underway and the proud
boys and other rioters had stormed through the first barriers and
begun the attack.
Radio communications from law enforcement, informed Secret Service
and those in the White House situation Room of these developments
in real time.
At the direction of President Trump thousands more rioters march
from the Ellipse to the capital, and they joined the attack.
As you will see in great detail tonight. President Trump was being
advised by nearly everyone to immediately instruct his supporters
to leave the capital, disperse and halt the violence.
Virtually everyone told President Trump
To condemn the violence and clear and unmistakable terms and those
on Capitol Hill and across the nation begged President Trump to help
But the former president chose not to do what all of those people
begged. He refused to tell the mob to leave until 4 17. We need tweeted
out a video statement filmed in the Rose Garden.
Ending with this.
So go home. We love you. You're very special.
You've seen what happens. You see the way others are treated that
are
So bad and so evil.
I know how you feel.
But go home and go home in peace.
By that time, two pipe bombs have been found at locations near the
capital, including where the vice president elect was conducting
a meeting.
Hours of hand to hand combat it seriously injured. Scores of law
enforcement officers capital had been invaded. The electoral count
had been halted as members were evacuated. Rioters took the floor
of the Senate. They rifled through desks and broke into offices and
then nearly caught up to vice president Pence.
Guns were drawn on the house floor and a rioter was shot attempting
to infiltrate the chamber.
We know that a number of rioters intended acts of physical violence
against specific elected officials. We know virtually all the rioters
were motivated by President Trump's rhetoric that the election had
been stolen.
And they felt they needed to take their country back.
This hearing is principally about what happened inside of the White
House that afternoon.
From the time when President Trump ended his speech until the moment
when he finally told the mob to go home.
A span of 187 minutes more than three hours.
What you will learn is that President Trump sat in his dining room
and watch the attack on television. While the senior most staff closest
advisers and family members bagged him to do what is expected of
any American president.
I served proudly for 20 years as an officer in the United States.
Navy veterans of Our armed forces know firsthand the leadership that's
wrote acquired in a time of crisis, urgent and decisive action that
puts duty and country first.
But on January 6th when lives and our democracy hung in the balance.
President Trump refused to act because of his selfish desire to stay