The January 6 committee announced that its public hearing on Tuesday is being rescheduled for 1 PM ET, pushing it by three hours. The new timing came minutes after Steve Bannon, a former ally of Donald Trump, agreed to testify before the committee.

While it is unclear if and when the former White House strategist will appear in a public hearing, the committee has two sessions scheduled this week. In addition to the one set for Tuesday, a prime-time hearing has been confirmed for Thursday this week.

Also Read: January 6 hearings: After Cassidy Hutchinson, who could testify next?

Why is Steve Bannon’s testimony important?

Steve Bannon, 68, has previously resisted talking to the January 6 committee. He is also one of the most high-profile Trump allies who refused to cooperate with the panel investigating last year’s Capitol riots. He has argued that his testimony is protected by Trump’s claim of executive privilege.

If Bannon appears on Thursday, his testimony will help examine the three-hour stretch when former President Donald Trump failed to act as a mob of supporters stormed the Capitol, the committee said.

Why now?

Representative Jamie Raskin, a January 6 committee member, suggested that Bannon “had a change of heart, and after watching, presumably, all of these people come forward, including Cassidy Hutchinson, he’s decided that he wants to come in, and if he wants to come in, I’m certain that the committee would be very interested in hearing from him.”

Bannon, who also faces criminal charges after months of defying a congressional subpoena over the Capitol riot, has his trial scheduled for July 18, 2022.

Also Read: Should Donald Trump be charged for January 6 riots? Liz Cheney, and 50% of US, thinks so

What to expect?

It’s unclear how much Bannon intends to cooperate. He has expressed a preference to appear before the committee in a public hearing. The committee is making clear he must first sit for a private interview, typically in a sworn deposition. It’s also possible he may opt to appear and then refuse to answer questions, citing his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination.

“The way that we have treated every single witness is the same, that they come in, they talk to the committee there,” Raskin said. “If they’re going to take a deposition, they’re sworn under oath. It’s videotaped. It’s recorded, and then we take it from there.”