On Tuesday, the House Select Committee to investigate January 6 brought forward former Chief of Staff Mark Meadows top aid Cassidy Hutchinson. Her testimony was a surprise and she told the committee that “she was told” that President Donald Trump tried to grab the wheel of his vehicle from a Secret Service agent in order to force him to drive to the Capitol.
Hutchinson specifically said Trump was driven away from his speech at the Ellipse in his presidential Cadillac limousine named “the beast.”
Hutchinson’s story originated from information she heard from White House deputy chief Tony Ornato, Assistant Director for the Secret Service, and Bobby Engel, who ran Trump’s security detail.
Here is Hutchinson’s testimony.
Trump “said something to the effect of, ‘I’m the f-ing president, take me up to the Capitol now,’” Hutchinson told the committee. “To which Bobby responded, ‘sir, we have to go back to the West Wing.’ The president reached up towards the front of the vehicle to grab at the steering wheel. Mr. Engel grabbed his arm and said ‘sir, you need to take your hand off the steering wheel, we’re going back to the West Wing. We’re not going to the Capitol.’”
Hutchinson said that Trump was in “The Beast” or as it’s also called “Cadillac One” after he left his speech in the Ellipse.
However, Trump was pictured leaving the Ellipse, where he spoke, in his Presidential SUV and not in “the Beast.” The picture below was even shown during her testimony in the House.
Trump appears to be seen in the Presidential SUV that actually has its own code name: the “Bunker.”
The Bunker has built in tear-gas launchers and fire suppression systems that prevent fires inside the cabin. It also features an oxygen supply in case of a chemical or biological attack according to Auto Josh. It also has more off road capabilities than the “Beast.”
On top of that according to NBC News Chief Peter Alexander, the Secret Service denied Hutchinson’s claim about the limousine incident and will testify under oath.
“A source close to the Secret Service tells me both Bobby Engel, the lead agent, and the presidential limousine/SUV driver are prepared to testify under oath that neither man was assaulted and that Mr. Trump never lunged for the steering wheel,” he posted on Twitter June 28.
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NBC has previously reported that both Ornato and Engel testified in front of the J6 committee behind closed doors. According to NBC’s source, both men testified about what they talked about with Hutchinson. Neither of them was asked about Trump attempting to grab the steering wheel and grabbing Engel.
However, neither men also deny that Trump was angry and wanted to go to the Capitol.
Now, the Secret Service has since released a statement.
“U.S. Secret Service has been cooperating with the Select Committee since its inception in spring 2021, and will continue to do so, including by responding on the record to the Committee regarding the new allegations surfaced in today’s testimony,” said CBS news Congressional Correspondent Scott MacFarlane.
This means we will see more information confirming whether Hutchinson’s story about Trump lunging at a Secret Service agent is true or not.
Trump responded to Hutchinson’s testimony on Truth Social:
“Her Fake story that I tried to grab the steering wheel of the White House Limousine in order to steer it to the Capitol Building is ‘sick’ and fraudulent, very much like the Unselect Committee itself — Wouldn’t even have been possible to do such a ridiculous thing,” Trump wrote. “Her story of me throwing food is also false … and why would SHE have to clean it up, I hardly knew who she was?”
This does not mean what she said is untruthful, but these are questions that we need answered. It’s time that we quit the show testimony. It’s not helping Americans and it’s time to move on from the events of over a year and a half ago. Are you more worried about your pocket book than J6? Let us know your thoughts.
