The commission of inquiry into the attack on the Capitol in January 2021 has summoned former President Donald Trump (76) on Thursday. It’s a rare escalation of investigations. Earlier, the congressional committee tried to hold Trump more responsible for the attack with new evidence.
If Trump does not obey the subpoena, the House of Representatives could report him to the Justice Department for contempt of Congress. For example, Trump’s former adviser Steve Bannon (68) has already been convicted for this.
However, time is running out. A new House of Representatives will be elected on 8 November. The committee should complete its work by the end of the year before the newly elected House of Representatives begins work in January. Even if Trump were to comply with the subpoena, he could refuse to testify.
Attack Happened Immediately After Trump’s Appearance
The attack on the Capitol came just after Trump’s crackdown, with the then US president inciting the crowd of his supporters with false claims that his election victory over challenger Joe Biden (79) had been stolen. “We have a duty to seek answers directly from the man who started all this,” Republican Representative Liz Cheney said in the subpoena.
Trump supporters violently stormed the seat of parliament on January 6, 2021. Congress met there to formally confirm Biden’s victory in the presidential election. Five people were killed in the riots. (SDA/chs)