Donald Trump Jr. says his father needs to ‘condemn’ violence in the Capitol as it unfolds, Meadows text reveals
“‘He must condemn this ASAP. The Capitol Police tweet is not enough,’ Trump Jr wrote in a message to Meadows, according to the committee’s vice chairman, Republican Representative Liz. Cheney of Wyoming.
Cheney detailed that when Meadows texted back that he agreed, Trump Jr. said, “We need an Oval office address. He has to take the lead now. It’s gone too far and out of reach. .”
Cheney said Monday that other texts about the attack were sent in real time.
“These text messages leave no doubt: The White House knows exactly what is happening here on the Capitol,” she said.
The congresswoman read aloud the messages – which she said were sent between Meadows and lawmakers, Fox News personalities and the then-President’s son – during the meeting, saying:
- “One message Mr. Meadows received said, ‘We’re under siege here at the Capitol.'”
- “Another one, ‘They broke into the Capitol.'”
- “In a third,” said Mark, protesters are literally storming the Capitol. Break the window on the door. Jump in. Is Trump going to say something? “
- “Wednesday, ‘Armed barricades at the door of the Chamber of Deputies.'”
- “And another, from someone inside the Capitol, ‘We’re all helpless.'”
“Dozens of texts, including from Trump administration officials, call for the President to act immediately,” Cheney continued in her reading, saying:
- “‘POTUS must resolutely come out and ask the protesters to disperse. Someone will be killed.”
- “The other one, ‘Mark, he needs to stop this. Now.'”
- “The third part, all caps, ‘TALK THEM HOME.'”
- “The fourth, and I quote, ‘POTUS needs to calm this anger.'”
“Indeed, according to the filing, many of the Fox News hosts knew the President needed to act immediately,” Cheney said, adding: “They texted Mr. Meadows and he flipped those messages. that message”.
- “Quote,” Mark, the President needed to tell everyone at the Capitol to go home. This is hurting us all. He is destroying his legacy,” wrote Laura Ingraham.
- “Put him on TV. Destroy everything you’ve accomplished,” Brian Kilmeade texted. “
- “” Can he make a statement? Asking everyone to leave the Capitol? “Sean Hannity urged.”
“As the violence continued,” Cheney said, “one of the President’s sons texted Mr. Meadows.”
- “Quote,” He had to condemn this damn thing ASAP. The Capitol Police tweet was not enough, “Donald Trump Jr. message.”
- “Meadows replied: ‘I’m trying a lot. I agree.'”
“However, President Trump did not act immediately,” Cheney detailed, adding that “Donald Trump Jr. texted several times,” urging his father’s action.
- “Citation,” We need an Oval office address. He has to take the lead now. It went too far and got out of hand,” said “last quote.”
When certifying the final Electoral College vote occurred in the early hours of January 7, Meadows received a text message calling January 6 a “terrible day.”
“Yesterday was a bad day. We tried everything to protest against 6 states,” the text read, according to Representative Adam Schiff, a California Democrat who was a member of the panel. “I’m sorry nothing works.”
CNN’s Zachary Cohen and Ryan Nobles contributed to this report.
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