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Two Secret Service sources anonymously supported much of Cassidy Hutchinson’s testimony.
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Speaking to CNN, the sources said the incident was being discussed within the agency.
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Neither said they heard Trump try to grab the wheel.
Two Secret Service sources told CNN on Friday that they learned that former President Donald Trump lunged at the driver of his presidential SUV on January 6, 2021.
The pair’s sources, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, supported much of the former Trump aide Cassidy Hutchinson’s Explosive Testimony to the altercation in the motorcade known as “the beast” after Trump found out he would not be driven to join his supporters at the Capitol.
“He kind of jumped forward — it wasn’t clear from the conversations I had that he actually made physical contact, but it could be. I don’t know,” one of the Secret Service sources told CNN . “Nobody said Trump attacked him; they said he was trying to lunge over the seat — for whatever reason, nobody had any idea.”
The other source, who said they had spoken directly with Trump’s driver from that day on, said they had heard nothing about Trump trying to grab the wheel, consistent with the other bureau member’s recollection of conversations about the incident.
The first source said they had heard about Trump’s altercation with the director dating back to February 2021.
Hutchinson’s account, which she gave under oath, arose from a conversation with Tony Ornato, then deputy chief of staff of the White House.
“I saw Mr Trump’s chief of security sitting in a chair, a little confused, a little lost,” Hutchinson said. “I looked at Tony, he said, ‘Did you hear what the hell happened in the Beast?’ I said, ‘No, Tony, I just got back, what happened?’
“Tony told me that when the president stepped into The Beast, he had the impression of Mr. Meadows that the off-the-record move to the Capitol was still possible and likely to happen, but Bobby had more information,” Hutchinson continued. “When the president got in the car with Bobby, he thought they were going to the Capitol. And when Bobby told him we’re not; we don’t have the means to do it; it’s not safe; we’re going back to the West Wing, the president had a very strong, very angry response to that.”
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