Members of Congress investigating the riots and storming of the Capitol on January 6 of last year said that then-President Donald Trump deliberately chose not to react for more than three hours, while thousands of his supporters thronged the Capitol building in an attempt to block the confirmation of Joseph Biden's election victory. , reports the Voice of America (VOA).
"President Trump sat at his dining room table and watched the attack on television, while his top aides, closest advisers and family members begged him to do what is expected of any American president," said Elaine Luria, a member of the committee from the Democratic Party.
Congressman Adam Kinzinger, also a member of the commission, said Trump refused to act because a "mob" had stopped the confirmation of electoral votes.
The counting of votes was stopped, and was delayed for hours. "The 'mob' accomplished what President Trump wanted, so of course he didn't intervene," said Kinzinger, who is a Republican.
"President Trump did not miss an opportunity to act. He chose not to act," said the congressman.
The nine-member House committee investigating the January 6, 2021 riots has shown edited video of testimony from key Trump White House aides, as the two testified live, to prove the committee's claims that Trump watched the riot on television and did nothing for hours to stop her.
In his opening remarks, Congressman Benny Thompson, a Democrat and chairman of the commission, said that Trump "was not influenced by his advisers, nor by his allies, nor by the chants of rioters, nor by the desperate pleas of people facing a mob."
Luria told CNN earlier this week that the panel will investigate "minute by minute" what Trump did for three hours and seven minutes on the afternoon of Jan. 6 — from the end of his rally speech when he called on his supporters to walk to the Capitol. and "fight with all their might," until he finally told them to disperse.
"Within 15 minutes of walking off the stage, President Trump knew the Capitol was under siege and under attack," Luria said Thursday night.
Thursday night's public hearing was supposed to be the last, but commission members now say they are continuing to gather information about the riots and may hold more hearings in September and beyond, according to VOA.
Bonus video:
