But as we will show an even greater detail in future hearings, Donald
Trump was reluctant to put this message out, and he still could not
bring himself to condemn the attack.
Miss Hutchinson has told us that too.
One that he put out it or 17.
I'm sure you've discussed it and just to elaborate if I hadn't already
about, I recall him being reluctant to film the video on the six.
I was not involved in any of the logistics of the planning for that
video. I just remember seeing the video go out
and feeling a little shocked after it went out.
On the evening of January 6th and the day after the president's family
and his senior staff and others try to encourage the president to
condemn the violence and commit to the peaceful transition of power.
At 3 31 PM on January 6th Sean Hannity of Fox News texted Mark Meadows.
Mr Hannity said quote. Can he make a statement? I saw the tweet.
Ask people to leave the capital.
Later that evening, Mr Hannity sent another text message to Mark
Meadows. This time you shared a link to a tweet.
That Tweet reported that President Trump's Cabinet secretaries were
considering invoking the 25th amendment to remove President Trump
from office.
As you can see on the screen.
The 25th amendment to the Constitution creates a process for the
transition of power of the president is unfit or unable to serve.
25th amendment has never been used to remove a president.
But the committee has learned that after the attack on the U. S Capitol
This was being discussed by members of President Trump's Cabinet.
As a way of stripping the full power of the presidency from Donald
Trump.
President Trump supporters were worried.
In addition to the tweet that he sent Mark Meadows after the attack,
Sean Hannity apparently spoke with President Trump and warned him
about what could happen.
We understand that this text message that Sean Hannity sent to Kayleigh
mcenany on January 7th shows what Mr Hannity said to the president.
First, no more stolen election talk.
Second impeachment and 25th amendment are real. Many people will
quit.
Miss Hutchinson. You told us that you were hearing about discussions
related to the 25th amendment. Here's part of what you said.
Mr Pompeo reach out to have the conversation with Mr Meadows and
Casey hadn't heard the discussions amongst Cabinet secretaries. And
from what I understand, it was more of a
This is what I'm hearing. I want you to be aware of it. But I also
think it's worth putting on your radar because you are the chief
of staff here. Technically the boss of all the cabinet secretaries
and you know, conversations progress. You should be ready to take
action on the
I'm concerned.
For you and your positioning with this? Yeah, Reach out to me. If
you have any questions, or like I can be helpful with you at all.
Inside the White House. The president's advisers, including members
of his family, wanted him to deliver a speech to the country.
Deputy White House counsel Pat Philbin prepared the first draft of
what would be the president's remarks on national healing.
Delivered by a pre taped video on January 7th.
When he arrived at the White House on the seventh. Mr Philbin believed
that more needed to be said. So he sat down and started writing.
He shared the draft with Pat sip alone.
Who also believed the president needed to say more.
Mr Sip. Aloni agreed with the content, as did Erik Hersman, who reviewed
the draft.
The committee has learned that the president did not agree with the
substance as drafted and resisted giving a speech at all.
Miss Hutchinson. Do you recall discussions about the President's
speech on January 7th?
I do.
Let's listen, Miss Hutchinson to what? You told us about that and
about the process of crafting those remarks.
I learned from a conversation with Mark and overhearing between him
and White House counsel
Erik Hersman as well. That is something that is really think he needed
to do anything more on the seventh, then what he had
already done on the sex.
Mm hmm. When he was
convinced to put out a video on the seventh, he I understand that
he had a lot of opinions about what the context of that announcement
were to entail, Um, had original jobs. The speech where there are
several lines that didn't make it in there about
Prosecuting the rioters or calling them violent. He didn't want that
in there. He wanted to put him in that he wanted to
potentially pardon them. Um, and this is just with the increased
emphasis of his mindset at the time, which was he didn't think that
they did anything wrong. The people who did something wrong that
day or the person who did something wrong that day was Mike Pence,
lied, not skating with him.
But the president's advisers urged him to give the speech.
Who convinced him to do the video on the seventh. Not sure who convinced
him if it was a group of people that convinced him
who was in the group that you're aware of aware of Mark Ivanka.
Jared Kushner. Um, Erik Hersman. Passive bologna. Pat Philbin.
Those are people that I'm aware of. Do you know why that group of
people thought it was necessary for him to release a statement?
Believe Kayleigh mcenany as well, Um,
from what I understood at the time
And from what the reports were coming in. And
there is a
large concern of 25th amendment potentially being invoked, and there
are concerns about what would happen in the Senate. If it was the
25th was invoked. So the primary reason that I had heard other than
you know, we did not do enough on the six. We need to get a stronger
message out there and condemn this. This will be your legacy. The
secondary reasons that was
Think about what might happen and the final 15 days of your presidency.
If we don't do this, there's already talks about invoking the 25th
amendment. You need this as cover.
President ultimately delivered the remarks. Unlike many of his other
speeches, he did not ad lib much. He recited them without significant
alteration, except one.
Even then, on January 7th 2021.
The day after the attack on the U. S capital. The president still
could not bring himself to say quote, but this election is now over.
One other point about the speech, Miss Hutchinson. Did you hear that?
Mr Trump, at one point wanted to add language about pardoning those
who took part in the January 6th riot.
I did hear that. And I understand that Mr Met Mr Meadows was encouraging
that language as well.
Thank you. And here's what you told us Previously about that.
You said he was instructed not to include that who was instructing
him not to include language about the pardon, and that January 7th
understood from White House counsel's office coming into our office
that morning that they didn't think that it was a good idea to include
that speech about being Piazza Bologna. That's correct, and they're
a Kurzman.
Miss Hutchinson did Rudy Giuliani ever suggest that he was interested
in receiving a presidential pardon related to January 6th.
He did.
Miss Hutchinson.
Did White House chief of staff Mark Meadows ever indicate that he
was interested in receiving a presidential pardon related to January
6th.
Mr. Meadows did seek that pardon? Yes, ma'am.