Trump denies lunging at Secret Service: ‘Who would do that?’

Former President Trump denied lunging at his Secret Service security on Jan. 6, 2021, after they refused to take him to the Capitol when he wanted to march alongside his supporters after a rally.

The revelation came from Cassidy Hutchinson, a special assistant to Trump chief of staff Mark Meadows, who testified in a last-minute hearing on Tuesday about being told the story from two other officials.

“She said I jumped from a car and started strangling — think of this — started strangling a Secret Service agent who I know very well,” Trump said in an interview with conservative news outlet Newsmax.  “Who would do that? I would grab a Secret Service person by the throat?”

Hutchinson said she learned of the episode from Tony Ornato, Trump’s deputy chief of staff, and Robert Engel, the special agent in charge for Secret Service on Jan. 6.

“ ‘I’m the effing president, take me up to the Capitol now,’ ” Trump said, according to Hutchinson, when Engel informed him they could not safely make the unscheduled journey.

“The president reached up towards the front of the vehicle to grab at the steering wheel. Mr. Engel grabbed his arm, said, ‘Sir you need to take your hand off the steering wheel, we’re going back to the West Wing, we’re not going to the Capitol,’” she said in her testimony.

“Mr. Trump then used his free hand to lunge towards Bobby Engel,” Hutchinson testified.

Hutchinson testified that Engel did not counter any of the details from Ornato as he relayed the story.

Several news outlets have since reported Engel and the driver are prepared to testify that neither was assaulted by Trump and that the former president did not try to grab the steering wheel.

... (Read more)

Latest News