Donald Trump Jr. said his father needed to ‘condemn’ Capitol violence as it unfolded

(CNN) — Donald Trump Jr. said successful a bid of substance messages to then-White House main of unit Mark Meadows that his begetter needed to “condemn” the US Capitol insurrection arsenic it unfolded.

The messages from Trump Jr. — which the House prime committee investigating the January 6 riot revealed earlier voting to clasp Meadows successful contempt of Congress — supply a model into the benignant of urgent messages that apical Trump surrogates and officials traded arsenic the riot unfolded.

“‘He’s got to condemn this sh*t ASAP. The Capitol Police tweet is not enough,'” Trump Jr. wrote successful 1 connection to Meadows, according to the committee’s vice chairwoman, Republican Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming.

Cheney elaborate that erstwhile Meadows had texted backmost that helium agreed, Trump Jr. said: “We request an Oval bureau address. He has to pb now. It has gone excessively acold and gotten retired of hand.”

Only aft pleading from aides and legislature allies wrong the besieged Capitol connected January 6 did the erstwhile President release a taped video urging the wide of his supporters to “go home,” portion inactive fanning their misplaced grievances astir a stolen election.

Cheney said Monday that different texts astir the onslaught were sent successful existent time.

“These substance messages permission nary doubt: The White House knew precisely what was happening present astatine the Capitol,” she said.

The congresswoman work aloud the messages — which she said had been sent betwixt Meadows and lawmakers, Fox News personalities and the then-President’s lad — during the meeting, saying:

• “One substance Mr. Meadows received said, ‘We are nether siege present astatine the Capitol.'”
• “Another, ‘They person breached the Capitol.'”
• “In a third, ‘Mark, protesters are virtually storming the Capitol. Breaking windows connected doors. Rushing in. Is Trump going to accidental something?'”
• “A fourth, ‘There’s an equipped standoff astatine the House Chamber door.'”
• “And another, from idiosyncratic wrong the Capitol, ‘We are each helpless.'”

“Dozens of texts, including from Trump medication officials, urged contiguous enactment by the President,” Cheney continued successful her reading, saying:

• “‘POTUS has to travel retired firmly and archer protesters to dissipate. Someone is going to get killed.'”
• “Another, ‘Mark, helium needs to halt this. Now.'”
• “A third, successful each caps, ‘TELL THEM TO GO HOME.'”
• “A fourth, and I quote, ‘POTUS needs to calm this sh*t down.'”

“Indeed, according to the records, aggregate Fox News hosts knew the President needed to enactment immediately,” Cheney said, adding: “They texted Mr. Meadows, and helium has turned implicit those texts.”

• “Quote, ‘Mark, the President needs to archer radical successful the Capitol to spell home. This is hurting each of us. He is destroying his legacy,’ Laura Ingraham wrote.”
• “‘Please get him connected TV. Destroying everything you person accomplished,’ Brian Kilmeade texted.”
• “‘Can helium marque a statement? Ask radical to permission the Capitol?’ Sean Hannity urged.”

“As the unit continued,” Cheney said, “one of the President’s sons texted Mr. Meadows.”

• “Quote, ‘He’s got to condemn this crap ASAP. The Capitol Police tweet is not enough,’ Donald Trump Jr. texted.”
• “Meadows responded: ‘I’m pushing it hard. I agree.'”

“Still, President Trump did not instantly act,” Cheney detailed, adding that “Donald Trump Jr. texted again and again,” urging enactment by his father.

• “Quote, ‘We request an Oval bureau address. He has to pb now. It has gone excessively acold and gotten retired of hand,’ extremity quote.”

When the certification of the Electoral College ballot yet happened successful the aboriginal hours of January 7, Meadows received a substance calling January 6 a “terrible day.”

“Yesterday was a unspeakable day. We tried everything we could successful our objections to the 6 states,” the substance read, according to Rep. Adam Schiff, a California Democrat who’s a subordinate of the panel. “I’m atrocious thing worked.”

The texts, arsenic respective members of the committee noted, had already been turned implicit to the committee and are not covered by immoderate assertion of privilege — which Meadows has continued to asseverate since reversing his determination to cooperate with the investigation.

Members connected Monday voted to formally beforehand the criminal contempt study against Meadows for a afloat level House vote, which could instrumentality spot arsenic soon arsenic Tuesday. The ballot by the afloat House is the past measurement earlier sending the referral to the Justice Department.