He testified that in order to prevent him from going to the Capitol, he was so angry at his secret service profile that he asked for a second account of how he climbed into the front of his vehicle and tried to turn the wheel.
Tony Arnado, then Vice President of the White House, told Hutchinson that Robert Engel, the Secret Service agent in charge on January 6, 2021, had repeatedly told Trump on his way back to the White House after Trump’s elliptical speech. She said it was not safe to go to the Capitol.
According to Hutchinson, Arnado described Trump screaming, “I’m the f ** king president. Take me to the Capitol now.” Trump then “came to the front of the vehicle to grab the steering wheel,” Hutchinson recalled learning. According to Ornado, the former president used his other hand to “throw” over Engel.
Engel and Ornato both testified to the panel behind closed doors, but their statements were not used in Tuesday’s hearing.
After the testimony, a secret service official familiar with the matter told CNN that Ornato denied that the former president had told Hutchinson that he had caught the wheel or an agent over his profile.
The Secret Service, through the Department of Homeland Security for Legal Affairs, informed the panel on Tuesday afternoon that it would allow the agents involved to testify under oath, the official said. Agents are also willing to say under oath that the incident did not happen.
Leading agent Engel had previously testified before the panel and described his contacts with Trump on Jan. 6, including the desire to go to former President Capitol, but the official said Engel had not been asked about an argument or being attacked.
When asked about the secret service’s denial of testimony, a spokesman for the panel said, “The panel believes in the credibility of a witness who is willing to testify under testimony, but is willing to listen to all the information available to others. At their hearing.”
Hutchinson’s attorney challenged the Secret Service agents to testify under oath.
“Ms Hutchinson testified under oath and described what she said. Those who know about the chapter must also testify under oath,” lawyer Jodi Hunt said in a Twitter post.
Trump denied key elements of Hutchinson’s testimony in the real community.
“His fake story that I tried to grab the steering wheel of the White House to get to the Capitol building was ‘sick’ and fraudulent,” Trump wrote.
“It could not have even done such an absurd thing,” he added.
Anthony Guglielmi, head of the Secret Service for Communications, told CNN: “The U.S. Secret Service has been cooperating with the Select Committee since the spring of 2021 and will continue to do so, including responding to the record of new allegations. Today’s testimony revealed.”
The story was updated on Tuesday with more details.
Ryan Nobles of CNN contributed to this report.
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