Trump lunged at agent, said he’s ‘f**king president’: Hutchinson testifies

The Jan 6 committee held a surprise hearing to present Cassidy Hutchinson as a witness. She was the top aide of former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, and her testimony showed then-president Donald Trump’s insistence on going to the Capitol to join the rioters there. 

Part of her testimony included secondhand account from Anthony Ornato, who was named White House chief of operations. Hutchinson testified that Ornato spoke of Robert Engel, the head of Trump’s security detail, who tried to dissuade the then-president from going to the Capitol after his Ellipse speech. 

However, Trump grew irate, and as per Ornato’s account, as recounted by Hutchinson, he screamed “I’m the f**king President. Take me up to the Capitol now”. 

Also Read | Trump knew about armed Capitol rioters, Hutchinson testifies

Trump then reached out to grab the steering wheel of the limousine, Hutchinson detailed in her testimony, before adding that Ornato had told her that the then-president used his free hand to “lunge” at Engel. 

Ultimately, the presidential limo didn’t go to the Capitol and went to the White House instead, and Politico has reported that Engel already spoke to the Congress about differing with the then-President. 

He wasn’t the only one as Trump’s lawyers also told him that going to the Capitol to join the protestors would expose him to criminal charges, including the accusation of inciting the riot in the first place. 

Also Read | What Ornato’s secondhand account says of Trump wanting to join Jan 6 riots

However, Trump remained irate. The former US president is convinced that the 2020 election was stolen from him as the Democrats beat the Republicans and Joe Biden was chosen as Trump’s successor. 

In April, Trump had told The Post, “I wanted to go. I wanted to go so badly. Secret Service says you can’t go. I would have gone there in a minute”, noting that the Secret Service “wouldn’t let him visit the Capitol on January 6, 2021.