Trump Told Pence Certifying Election Would Be ‘Career Killer,’ Valet Testified – The New York Times

The threat from President Donald J. Trump to his vice president, Mike Pence, was clear and direct: If you defy my effort to overturn the 2020 election by certifying the results, your future in Republican politics is over.

Mike, this is a political career killer if you do this, Mr. Trump told Mr. Pence by phone on the morning of Jan. 6, 2021, according to the White House valet who was with the president for much of the day and told Congress he had overheard the conversation.

The testimony of Mr. Trumps valet, provided to the now-defunct House Jan. 6 Committee in 2022 but not previously released publicly, offers a rare firsthand look into the former presidents behavior in the hours before, during and after a mob of his supporters stormed the Capitol seeking to halt the certification of President Bidens victory.

In the valets account, laid out in a transcript obtained by The New York Times, an agitated Mr. Trump pressured Mr. Pence to overturn the election and stewed about Mr. Pences refusal for hours after violence engulfed Congress. Told that a civilian had been shot outside the House chamber amid the mob attack, he recalled, Mr. Trump appeared unconcerned.

I just remember seeing it in front of him, the valet said of a note card Mr. Trump was given bearing news of the casualty as he watched the riot unfold on television. I dont remember how it got there or whatever. But there was no, like, reaction.

As unflattering as portions of the aides testimony were to Mr. Trump, he did not confirm some of the more graphic and damning claims made by witnesses in front of the Jan. 6 committee.

We are having trouble retrieving the article content.

Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit andlog intoyour Times account, orsubscribefor all of The Times.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access.

Already a subscriber?Log in.

Want all of The Times?Subscribe.

Go here to read the rest:
Trump Told Pence Certifying Election Would Be 'Career Killer,' Valet Testified - The New York Times

Related Posts

Comments are closed.