A former Trump administration official criticized the House January 6 committee, saying their narrative that the Capitol riot was an insurrection is losing credibility.
Kash Patel claimed Trump had authorized deploying National Guard troops ahead of January 6th, contradicting the committee.
“The whole point is it defeats their insurrection claim,” Patel said.
Patel alleged the committee is trying to influence public opinion by preventing disclosure of Trump authorizing troops.
He said this undermines the insurrection claim if Trump authorized the National Guard beforehand.
Trump “did not authorize the National Guard before Jan. 6, then how is it factually possible for Bowser and Pelosi to have rejected it, in writing. It’s impossible,” Patel added.
“So, they lose the narrative in the public sphere. Now, they’re losing it in the courts with all the litigation,” Patel said.
“Just in case there’s any security issues in D.C. or any other major city, I know you need my authorization, so I’m giving it to you. Don’t come back to me. You have it [authorization]. Don’t waste time if a governor asks for troops—you have it,” Patel said.
Trump also attacked the committee, calling for Liz Cheney and others to go to jail over omitting testimony refuting claims against him, like a Secret Service agent denying Trump tried grabbing the steering wheel on January 6th.
“She should go to jail along with the rest of the Unselect Committee!” Trump wrote.
“The driver testified that he specifically refuted the version of events as recounted by Hutchinson,” the report noted. “The driver of the SUV testified that he ‘did not see him reach [redacted]. [President Trump] never grabbed the steering wheel.
