This Monday, GOP Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming, who serves as the Jan. 6 committee’s vice chairwoman, read aloud texts that were sent to then-White House chief of staff Mark Meadows by various Fox News personalities — and even one of Donald Trump’s own sons — urging Meadows to convince Trump to try and calm the violence that was erupting at the U.S. Capitol.
“Dozens of texts, including from Trump administration officials, urged immediate action by the President,” Cheney said while reading from a prepared statement.
“‘POTUS has to come out firmly and tell the protesters to dissipate — someone is going to get killed,'” Cheney said, reading a group of texts from Jan. 6 to Meadows aloud. “In another: ‘Mark, he needs to stop this now.’ A third [text] in all caps: TELL THEM TO GO HOME.’ A fourth, and I quote: ‘POTUS needs to calm this sh*t down.'”
Cheney then cited texts from multiple Fox News hosts to Meadows, who she says “knew the President needed to act immediately.” She then read the texts, who she says Meadows turned over to the committee.
From Fox News host Laura Ingraham: “Mark, the President needs to tell people in the Capitol to go home. This is hurting all of us. He is destroying his legacy.”
From Fox News host Brian Kilmeade: “Please, get [Trump] on TV — destroying everything you have accomplished.”
From Fox News host Sean Hannity: “Can he make a statement? Ask people to leave the Capitol?”
From Donald Trump Jr.: “He’s got to condemn this sh*t ASAP. The Capitol Police tweet is not enough.
Meadows responded: “I’m pushing it hard. I agree.”
“Donald Trump Jr. texted again, and again, urging action by the President,” Cheney said.
From Donald Trump Jr.: “We need an Oval Office address. He has to lead now. It has gone too far and gotten out of hand.”
“But hours passed without necessary action by the President,” Cheney said.
Watch the video below:
Cheney reads a J6 text from Laura Ingraham to Mark Meadows that read, "he [Trump] is destroying his legacy" & another from Brian Kilmeade that said Trump was "destroying everything you've accomplished" by not speaking out against the insurrection. Even Don Jr pleaded for action pic.twitter.com/VixsGgFkfC
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) December 14, 2021
