Donald Trump Jr’s deposition audio was played at the eighth January 6 hearing on Thursday, July 21 (local time). The panel, led by Rep Bennie Thompson, also displayed text messages between Trump Jr. and Former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows.
The text messages showed there was pressure on the then-president take action to halt the violence by a mob of his supporters.
Trump Jr, who serves as a trustee and executive vice president of The Trump Organization, urged Meadows to get the president to act in order to help preserve his legacy.
The younger Trump told Meadows that getting the president to condemn the violence was something to “go to the mattresses on.” Trump Jr. told the committee in a videotaped testimony that was a reference to a line from the movie “The Godfather” and it was shorthand for going “all in” on something.
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Meadows told Trump Jr. that he agreed. The President’s son replied, “this one you go to the mattresses on. They will try to f**k his entire legacy on this if it gets worse.”
Former White House press aide Sarah Matthews testified about the process before Trump finally tweeted for the mob to be peaceful. She said “there was a back and forth, going through different phrases that he was comfortable with.”
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Matthews said it was a suggestion by Ivanka Trump, the president’s daughter, to include the phrase “stay peaceful,” in the statement that got her father to finally put out a statement.
Committee member Elaine Luria said that Donald Trump ‘put a target on his own vice president’s back’. The President tweeted during the Capitol riot calling VP Mike Pence a “coward” for deciding to go ahead and preside over the congressional certification of Joe Biden’s election victory.
