Trump’s deputy WH chief of staff opens up to special counsel about Jan. 6: report
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Another former confidant of Donald Trump has defied the former president and opened up to federal prosecutors about the behind-the-scenes machinations on the day of the Capitol riot.
Dan Scavino, who served as Trump’s White House deputy chief of staff for communications, told the special counsel’s office about the former president’s anger toward the “stolen election” as the riot raged on Capitol Hill, ABC reported.
Scavino –who was ordered to supply testimony with a subpoena — was one of a handful of aides with direct access to Trump when the chaos erupted.
As the storming of the Capitol unfolded, Trump “was just not interested” in taking additional steps to curtail the riot, but was instead “very angry” at what he described as a stolen election, Scavino reportedly told investigators.
Scavino had first begun work with Trump as a teenager and quickly rose through the ranks to help manage Trump’s White House communications game.
While the riot took place, Trump gazed at the TV, silent at times, with his arms folded, Scavino reportedly told special counsel Jack Smith’s team.
That account seemingly corroborates much of what witnesses told the since-defunct House Select Jan. 6 Committee about Trump’s reticence to take action amid the ransacking of the Capitol.
Also speaking to investigators, another former Trump aide recalled Trump’s reaction to hearing that then-Vice President Mike Pence was taken to a secure location.
“So what?” he recounted Trump saying, per ABC.
Some of the rioters had chanted about hanging Pence. Trump, however, was peeved that his No. 2 didn’t decertify the election for him.
Not long after the riot erupted, Trump’s confidants urged him to respond.
At one point, they gave him some space. Soon afterward, a message appeared on his Twitter, now known as X account, suggesting that Pence “didn’t have the courage to do what should have been done.”
Aides scrambled behind the scenes over the incendiary message. Roughly thirty minutes after Trump’s confidants first urged him to respond, the then-president gave Scavino the go-ahead to write on Twitter, now known as X, an entreaty for the rioters to be peaceful, according to ABC.
“He was just not interested at that moment to put anything out,” Scavino reportedly told Smith’s team, noting that Trump observed the mayhem on TV.
Heeding to pleas from his son-in-law Jared Kushner, Trump later recorded a video addressing the crisis, in which he reiterated his dubious claim that “this was a fraudulent election” and called the rioters “very special.”
Scavino reportedly characterized that day as “very unsettling” and said he hoped that Trump would usher in a peaceful transfer of power.
“This is all your legacy here, and there’s smoke coming out of the Capitol,” Scavino recounted to Smith’s team that he said to Trump on the night of Jan. 6, 2021.
Although many of the revelations from the Scavino interview with Trump’s team corroborate public information about the day of the riot, his cooperation is significant because of his proximity to Trump that day.
Scavino is one of several key advisers including former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, White House counsel Pat Cipollone, deputy counsel to the President Patrick Philbin, and former Trump aide Nick Luna whom investigators believe have key insights into Trump’s activities revolving around that day.
Scavino initialy cited executive privilege when pressed with a subpoena from the House Jan. 6 committee. The panel and then Congress later moved to hold him in contempt in 2022.
Ultimately, the Department of Justice declined to pursue charges against both Scavino and Meadows despite the recommendation from Congress.
However, prosecutors have since barreled ahead with and scored convictions against Trump ally Steve Bannon and Trump’s former manufacturing guru Peter Navarro.
The two are fighting those convictions. The Post contacted spokespeople for both Trump and Smith for comment.
Smith’s team has charged Trump with a four-count indictment over his alleged efforts to subvert the 2020 election and a 34-count indictment for his alleged hoarding of classified documents.
Trump, who is also facing two other indictments, has denied wrongdoing and pleaded not guilty to all counts pending against him. His 2020 election trial had been slated to commence on March 4.
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