US President Donald Trump has compared the recent wave of vandalism targeting Tesla showrooms across the country to the Capitol riot on 6 January 2021, claiming the damage inflicted on Elon Musk&rsquo;s company is far worse.
<h2>'I view these people as terrorists'</h2>
Speaking to reporters from the Oval Office on Friday, Trump said, &ldquo;I view these people as terrorists, just like others. When I looked at those showrooms burning and those cars &mdash; not one or two, like seven, eight, 10 burning, exploding all over the place. These are terrorists. You didn&rsquo;t have that on Jan. 6, I can tell you.&rdquo;
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-war-or-doge-cuts-inside-elon-musks-controversial-pentagon-visit-that-trump-hegseth-rushed-to-defend-8877941">China war or DOGE cuts? Inside Musk&rsquo;s controversial Pentagon visit that Trump, Hegseth rushed to defend</a>
Trump criticised Democrats for not speaking out about the violence against Tesla, accusing them of hypocrisy given their strong condemnation of the Capitol riot, which saw Trump supporters breach Congress in protest of the 2020 election result.
He also referred to the fatal shooting of Ashli Babbitt, a Trump supporter killed by Capitol Police during the 6 January events.
&ldquo;You didn&rsquo;t have anything like that on Jan 6, which is sort of amazing because on Jan. 6, the Democrats were talking. Nobody was killed other than a very beautiful young woman, Ashli, Ashli Babbitt. Nobody was killed,&rdquo; he said.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pentagon-taps-boeing-for-f-47-fighter-jet-trump-says-enemies-wont-know-what-hit-them-8877846">Boeing to build sixth-gen fighter jet F-47, Trump says enemies &lsquo;won&rsquo;t know what hit them&rsquo;</a>
The president went on to claim that the attacks on Tesla were part of &ldquo;an organised event,&rdquo; suggesting that the coordinated appearance of protest signs indicated larger forces at play.
&ldquo;The people that finance it are, in my opinion, in just as big of trouble as the people who are setting the match, starting the fires,&rdquo; Trump said.
Earlier in the day, Trump issued a strong warning to those involved in vandalising Tesla facilities, hinting at severe punishments.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/could-get-jailed-in-el-salvador-prisons-trump-threatens-terrorists-harming-musk-tesla-with-20-year-jail-term-8877058">&lsquo;Could get jailed in El Salvador prisons&rsquo;: Trump threatens &lsquo;terrorists&rsquo; harming Musk, Tesla with 20-year&nbsp;jail</a>
&ldquo;I look forward to watching the sick terrorist thugs get 20-year jail sentences for what they are doing to Elon Musk and Tesla,&rdquo; he posted on Truth Social. 
He added, &ldquo;Perhaps they could serve them in the prisons of El Salvador, which have become so recently famous for such lovely conditions!&rdquo;
Attorney General Pam Bondi on Tuesday called the acts &ldquo;domestic terrorism&rdquo; and confirmed on Thursday that three suspects had been arrested and were facing &ldquo;serious charges.&rdquo;
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-no-longer-safe-for-tourists-uk-germany-issue-travel-warnings-after-woman-detained-like-hannibal-trump-immigration-crackdown-8876514">US no longer safe for tourists? UK, Germany issue travel warnings after woman detained &lsquo;like Hannibal&rsquo;</a>
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick even encouraged Americans to consider investing in Tesla stock, despite its recent situation. The company&rsquo;s share price has dropped by nearly 39 per cent since the start of the year and more than 50 per cent since late December.
(With inputs from agencies)

World: Trump criticised Democrats for not speaking out about the violence against Tesla, accusing them of hypocrisy given their strong condemnation of the Capitol riot.

US President Donald Trump has compared the recent wave of vandalism targeting Tesla showrooms across the country to the Capitol riot on 6 January 2021, claiming the damage inflicted on Elon Musk’s company is far worse. 'I view these people as terrorists' Speaking to reporters from the Oval Office on Friday, Trump said, “I view these people as terrorists, just like others. When I looked at those showrooms burning and those cars — not one or two, like seven, eight, 10 burning, exploding all over the place. These are terrorists. You didn’t have that on Jan. 6, I can tell you.” Also read: China war or DOGE cuts? Inside Musk’s controversial Pentagon visit that Trump, Hegseth rushed to defend Trump criticised Democrats for not speaking out about the violence against Tesla, accusing them of hypocrisy given their strong condemnation of the Capitol riot, which saw Trump supporters breach Congress in protest of the 2020 election result. He also referred to the fatal shooting of Ashli Babbitt, a Trump supporter killed by Capitol Police during the 6 January events. “You didn’t have anything like that on Jan 6, which is sort of amazing because on Jan. 6, the Democrats were talking. Nobody was killed other than a very beautiful young woman, Ashli, Ashli Babbitt. Nobody was killed,” he said. Also read: Boeing to build sixth-gen fighter jet F-47, Trump says enemies ‘won’t know what hit them’ The president went on to claim that the attacks on Tesla were part of “an organised event,” suggesting that the coordinated appearance of protest signs indicated larger forces at play. “The people that finance it are, in my opinion, in just as big of trouble as the people who are setting the match, starting the fires,” Trump said. Earlier in the day, Trump issued a strong warning to those involved in vandalising Tesla facilities, hinting at severe punishments. Also read: ‘Could get jailed in El Salvador prisons’: Trump threatens ‘terrorists’ harming Musk, Tesla with 20-year jail “I look forward to watching the sick terrorist thugs get 20-year jail sentences for what they are doing to Elon Musk and Tesla,” he posted on Truth Social. He added, “Perhaps they could serve them in the prisons of El Salvador, which have become so recently famous for such lovely conditions!” Attorney General Pam Bondi on Tuesday called the acts “domestic terrorism” and confirmed on Thursday that three suspects had been arrested and were facing “serious charges.” Also read: US no longer safe for tourists? UK, Germany issue travel warnings after woman detained ‘like Hannibal’ Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick even encouraged Americans to consider investing in Tesla stock, despite its recent situation. The company’s share price has dropped by nearly 39 per cent since the start of the year and more than 50 per cent since late December. (With inputs from agencies)

'These are terrorists': Trump defends Musk, says Tesla attacks worse than Jan. 6 Capitol riot

Four years after the January 6 Capitol attack, the event remains a polarizing issue in American politics, with lasting divisions across the nation.

January 6: The day that continues to divide America, four years on

With US Presidential polls nearly two months away former US President and Republican nominee Donald Trump is caught in a fresh legal battle. Prosecutors have issued revised changes against the Republican Presidential nominee for his alleged attempts to interfere in the 2020 election after he lost to Joe Biden. Watch in for more details!

Trump faces revised indictment in Jan 6 case: How will indictment against Trump play out?

Steve Bannon, the 70-year-old former chief strategist at the White House during Trump presidency, surrendered to prison on Monday (July 1) to begin a four-month sentence for refusing to comply with a Congressional summon.

Bannon entered the federal correctional institution in Danbury, Connecticut, around 12:00 PM (local time), NBC News reported.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/supreme-court-gives-trump-partial-immunity-in-federal-election-interference-case-736847">Donald Trump has 'absolute immunity' for official acts, rules US supreme court</a>&nbsp;

In July 2022, a federal jury in Washington D.C. found Bannon guilty of two counts of contempt of Congress after he refused to provide testimony and records to the House select committee probing the Jan. 6, 2021&nbsp;riots at the US Capitol.

His sentence was stayed pending an appeal. But after a federal appeals court panel upheld Bannon's conviction, he was ordered to report in prison by July 1.&nbsp;

Also watch |&nbsp;US Supreme Court rules Donald Trump's immunity only for official actions

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The appeals court had rejected his defence that he did not comply with the congressional subpoena based on the chance his testimony might be covered by executive privilege.

His last-ditch effort to avoid jail time while he appealed his conviction was rejected by the Supreme Court on Friday (June 28).&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/former-trump-advisor-steve-bannon-ordered-to-report-to-jail-by-july-1-729497">Former Trump advisor Steve Bannon ordered to report to jail by July 1</a>

Ahead of going to prison, he told reporters he was "proud to go to prison" and had "no regrets".

Bannon served as chief strategist in the Trump White House until August 2017. He is the second former Trump official to be jailed for defying a summon from the Jan. 6 committee.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-and-allies-blast-tom-emmer-over-house-speaker-bid-call-him-anti-maga-649482">Trump and allies blast Tom Emmer over House Speaker bid, call him anti-MAGA</a>

Former Trump advisor Peter Navarro was indicted by a federal grand jury in June 2022 for refusing to comply with the committee’s subpoena. He is currently completing a four-month sentence in a federal prison in Miami.

Bannon told NBC News that he is set to be released from jail on Oct. 31 — five days ahead of US presidential elections.

(With inputs from agencies)

Steve Bannon, the 70-year-old former chief strategist at the White House during Trump presidency, surrendered to prison on Monday (July 1) to begin a four-month sentence for refusing to comply with a Congressional summon.

Steve Bannon, the 70-year-old former chief strategist at the White House during Trump presidency, surrendered to prison on Monday (July 1) to begin a four-month sentence for refusing to comply with a Congressional summon. Bannon entered the federal correctional institution in Danbury, Connecticut, around 12:00 PM (local time), NBC News reported. Also read | Donald Trump has 'absolute immunity' for official acts, rules US supreme court In July 2022, a federal jury in Washington D.C. found Bannon guilty of two counts of contempt of Congress after he refused to provide testimony and records to the House select committee probing the Jan. 6, 2021 riots at the US Capitol. His sentence was stayed pending an appeal. But after a federal appeals court panel upheld Bannon's conviction, he was ordered to report in prison by July 1. Also watch | US Supreme Court rules Donald Trump's immunity only for official actions × The appeals court had rejected his defence that he did not comply with the congressional subpoena based on the chance his testimony might be covered by executive privilege. His last-ditch effort to avoid jail time while he appealed his conviction was rejected by the Supreme Court on Friday (June 28). Also read | Former Trump advisor Steve Bannon ordered to report to jail by July 1 Ahead of going to prison, he told reporters he was "proud to go to prison" and had "no regrets". Bannon served as chief strategist in the Trump White House until August 2017. He is the second former Trump official to be jailed for defying a summon from the Jan. 6 committee. Also read | Trump and allies blast Tom Emmer over House Speaker bid, call him anti-MAGA Former Trump advisor Peter Navarro was indicted by a federal grand jury in June 2022 for refusing to comply with the committee’s subpoena. He is currently completing a four-month sentence in a federal prison in Miami. Bannon told NBC News that he is set to be released from jail on Oct. 31 — five days ahead of US presidential elections. (With inputs from agencies)

Jan 6 Capitol attack: Trump-ally Bannon surrenders for four-month jailtime

Donald Trump on Monday pledged to free people jailed for taking part in the 2021 attack on the US Capitol as one of his first actions if reelected, calling them "hostages."

The rioters — egged on by the then-president and fuelled by his false claims of voter fraud — stormed the seat of US democracy on January 6, 2021, in a bid to halt the transfer of power to Joe Biden.

Around 1,358 defendants have been charged in the 38 months since then, according to the latest figures from the Justice Department released last week. About 500 have been sentenced to prison terms.

Trump posted the comments on his Truth Social website, additionally promising to shut down the border with Mexico as part of his first acts, if reelected, without providing details.

"My first acts as your next President will be to Close the Border, DRILL, BABY, DRILL, and Free the January 6 Hostages being wrongfully imprisoned!" he wrote late Monday.

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Trump has made previous comments about his hypothetical first day in office, vowing during a televised town hall in December not to act as a dictator except "other than day one."

Nor is it the first time Trump has called his imprisoned supporters "hostages" or suggested they should be freed.

In January, he implored President Biden to "release the J6 hostages, Joe" during a campaign rally in Iowa.

Trump faces four criminal indictments, including two -- one federal and one in Georgia, — stemming from his attempts to overturn the election results after losing to Biden.

Trump is virtually assured of being the Republican presidential nominee now that his last remaining rival, Nikki Haley, dropped out of the race following his overwhelming wins in the primaries.

Trump insists that the support he enjoys among his Republican base has been enhanced, not hurt, by his many legal woes.

Donald Trump on Monday pledged to free people jailed for taking part in the 2021 attack on the US Capitol as one of his first actions if reelected, calling them "hostages.

Donald Trump on Monday pledged to free people jailed for taking part in the 2021 attack on the US Capitol as one of his first actions if reelected, calling them "hostages." The rioters — egged on by the then-president and fuelled by his false claims of voter fraud — stormed the seat of US democracy on January 6, 2021, in a bid to halt the transfer of power to Joe Biden. Around 1,358 defendants have been charged in the 38 months since then, according to the latest figures from the Justice Department released last week. About 500 have been sentenced to prison terms. Trump posted the comments on his Truth Social website, additionally promising to shut down the border with Mexico as part of his first acts, if reelected, without providing details. "My first acts as your next President will be to Close the Border, DRILL, BABY, DRILL, and Free the January 6 Hostages being wrongfully imprisoned!" he wrote late Monday. × Trump has made previous comments about his hypothetical first day in office, vowing during a televised town hall in December not to act as a dictator except "other than day one." Nor is it the first time Trump has called his imprisoned supporters "hostages" or suggested they should be freed. In January, he implored President Biden to "release the J6 hostages, Joe" during a campaign rally in Iowa. Trump faces four criminal indictments, including two -- one federal and one in Georgia, — stemming from his attempts to overturn the election results after losing to Biden. Trump is virtually assured of being the Republican presidential nominee now that his last remaining rival, Nikki Haley, dropped out of the race following his overwhelming wins in the primaries. Trump insists that the support he enjoys among his Republican base has been enhanced, not hurt, by his many legal woes.

Trump vows to free January 6 rioters if re-elected, calling them 'wrongfully imprisoned hostages'

The house of representatives select committee investigating the capital riots last year will be holding an unexpected public hearing today, it was announced just 24 hours ago. The committee said the decision to hold the hearing came in light of new evidence that has come into its possession.

United States: Jan 6 committee calls surprise hearing

Rudy Giuliani, who as former President Donald Trump’s lawyer helped lead the effort to overturn the results of the 2020 election, is in discussions with the House Jan. 6 committee about responding to its questions, according to three people familiar with the matter.

The extent of any assistance that Giuliani might provide remains unclear and the negotiations could easily fall apart, especially as Trump continues to publicly rail against the investigation.

But Giuliani, through his lawyer, has signaled to the committee that he plans to take a less confrontational stance toward its requests than some other members of Trump’s inner circle who are fighting the committee’s subpoenas or have otherwise refused to cooperate.

Giuliani’s discussions with committee officials suggest that he may be seeking to avoid a potentially costly legal fight over a subpoena that was issued to him last month. By engaging with the committee, Giuliani could also make it more difficult for the House to issue a criminal referral of him to the Justice Department for contempt of Congress if he in the end does not comply with the subpoena.

Should Giuliani ultimately provide the committee with substantive cooperation, it would be a major breakthrough for the investigation and a breach in the relationship between Trump and one of his closest if most problematic advisers. Giuliani was instrumental not only in the post-Election Day effort to keep Trump in power but also in the pressure campaign on Ukraine that led to Trump’s first impeachment.

One person familiar with the matter said that Giuliani was still negotiating over whether to give investigators an informal interview or a formal deposition, and that he had not yet determined how much information he might seek to shield from the committee by invoking executive privilege or attorney-client privilege with Trump.

A committee aide said that the panel would not comment on negotiations with its witnesses. But the aide said that the committee had allowed Giuliani, who was scheduled to appear for a deposition before the panel last Tuesday, to reschedule it at “his request.” The aide said the committee was pressing Giuliani to “cooperate fully.”

However preliminary, the conversations suggest that Giuliani is considering taking a vastly different approach than those taken by other close Trump allies.

Trump’s onetime chief of staff, Mark Meadows, has been referred to the Justice Department for possible criminal charges after refusing an interview with the committee. Another former aide, Steve Bannon, was indicted in November after refusing to provide information to congressional investigators.

As a key figure in some of Trump’s attempts to stave off electoral defeat, Giuliani, a former New York City mayor, would be in a position to tell investigators how much the former president knew about a series of extraordinary measures that were proposed to him last fall and winter in a bid to maintain his grip on power.

Among those efforts was a scheme to disrupt the normal workings of the Electoral College by persuading lawmakers in contested swing states to draw up alternate slates of electors showing Trump was victorious in states that were actually won by Joe Biden.

Giuliani was also instrumental in vetting a plan to use the Department of Homeland Security to seize voting machines in order to examine the data housed inside them for supposed evidence of fraud. At Trump’s direction, Giuliani asked a top homeland security official if the department could legally take control of the machines — a notion that the official shot down. Giuliani later opposed an even more explosive proposal to have the military seize the machines.

Giuliani was subpoenaed with other members of a legal team that billed itself as “an elite strike force” and pursued a set of conspiracy-filled lawsuits on behalf of Trump in which they made unsubstantiated claims of fraud in the election. They were initially scheduled to testify this week, but were granted delays through discussions with their lawyers.

The subpoena sought all documents that Giuliani had detailing the pressure campaign that he and other Trump allies initiated targeting state officials; the seizure of voting machines; contact with members of Congress; any evidence to support the bizarre conspiracy theories he pushed; and any arrangements for his fees.

On Jan. 6, speaking to a crowd of Trump supporters before the attack on the Capitol, Giuliani called for “trial by combat.” Later, after the building was under siege, both he and Trump called lawmakers in an attempt to delay the certification of Biden’s victory.

Fighting subpoenas in court can be expensive, and Giuliani has already suffered a series of difficult — and potentially costly — legal setbacks.

He is facing a defamation lawsuit from Dominion Voting Systems, accusing him of carrying out “a viral disinformation campaign” made up of “demonstrably false” claims that the company helped flip votes away from Trump. And in June, his law license was suspended after a New York court ruled he made “demonstrably false and misleading statements” while fighting the results of the 2020 election.

While the committee continues to face stonewalling from top Trump aides and advisers, it has won various degrees of cooperation from a number of senior White House officials, including top aides to former Vice President Mike Pence and Giuliani’s own aide, Bernard Kerik, who once served as police commissioner in New York City.

Kerik, who worked with Giuliani to investigate purported claims of election fraud, provided testimony to the committee and a trove of documents, but also kept some key documents secret, citing Trump’s invocation of executive privilege.

The committee has interviewed around 500 witnesses and issued more than 100 subpoenas, including broad ones to banks as well as telecommunications and social media companies.

Faced with at least 18 Trump allies who have signaled they will not fully cooperate, investigators for the committee have adopted techniques more typically used in organized crime prosecutions than in congressional inquiries and quietly turned at least six lower-level Trump staff members into witnesses who have provided information about their bosses’ activities.

The committee is also considering granting immunity to crucial members of Trump’s inner circle who have invoked their Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination as a way of pressuring them to testify.

Rudy Giuliani, who as former President Donald Trump’s lawyer helped lead the effort to overturn the results of the 2020 election, is in discussions with the House Jan.

Rudy Giuliani, who as former President Donald Trump’s lawyer helped lead the effort to overturn the results of the 2020 election, is in discussions with the House Jan. 6 committee about responding to its questions, according to three people familiar with the matter. The extent of any assistance that Giuliani might provide remains unclear and the negotiations could easily fall apart, especially as Trump continues to publicly rail against the investigation. But Giuliani, through his lawyer, has signaled to the committee that he plans to take a less confrontational stance toward its requests than some other members of Trump’s inner circle who are fighting the committee’s subpoenas or have otherwise refused to cooperate. Giuliani’s discussions with committee officials suggest that he may be seeking to avoid a potentially costly legal fight over a subpoena that was issued to him last month. By engaging with the committee, Giuliani could also make it more difficult for the House to issue a criminal referral of him to the Justice Department for contempt of Congress if he in the end does not comply with the subpoena. Should Giuliani ultimately provide the committee with substantive cooperation, it would be a major breakthrough for the investigation and a breach in the relationship between Trump and one of his closest if most problematic advisers. Giuliani was instrumental not only in the post-Election Day effort to keep Trump in power but also in the pressure campaign on Ukraine that led to Trump’s first impeachment. One person familiar with the matter said that Giuliani was still negotiating over whether to give investigators an informal interview or a formal deposition, and that he had not yet determined how much information he might seek to shield from the committee by invoking executive privilege or attorney-client privilege with Trump. A committee aide said that the panel would not comment on negotiations with its witnesses. But the aide said that the committee had allowed Giuliani, who was scheduled to appear for a deposition before the panel last Tuesday, to reschedule it at “his request.” The aide said the committee was pressing Giuliani to “cooperate fully.” However preliminary, the conversations suggest that Giuliani is considering taking a vastly different approach than those taken by other close Trump allies. Trump’s onetime chief of staff, Mark Meadows, has been referred to the Justice Department for possible criminal charges after refusing an interview with the committee. Another former aide, Steve Bannon, was indicted in November after refusing to provide information to congressional investigators. As a key figure in some of Trump’s attempts to stave off electoral defeat, Giuliani, a former New York City mayor, would be in a position to tell investigators how much the former president knew about a series of extraordinary measures that were proposed to him last fall and winter in a bid to maintain his grip on power. Among those efforts was a scheme to disrupt the normal workings of the Electoral College by persuading lawmakers in contested swing states to draw up alternate slates of electors showing Trump was victorious in states that were actually won by Joe Biden. Giuliani was also instrumental in vetting a plan to use the Department of Homeland Security to seize voting machines in order to examine the data housed inside them for supposed evidence of fraud. At Trump’s direction, Giuliani asked a top homeland security official if the department could legally take control of the machines — a notion that the official shot down. Giuliani later opposed an even more explosive proposal to have the military seize the machines. Giuliani was subpoenaed with other members of a legal team that billed itself as “an elite strike force” and pursued a set of conspiracy-filled lawsuits on behalf of Trump in which they made unsubstantiated claims of fraud in the election. They were initially scheduled to testify this week, but were granted delays through discussions with their lawyers. The subpoena sought all documents that Giuliani had detailing the pressure campaign that he and other Trump allies initiated targeting state officials; the seizure of voting machines; contact with members of Congress; any evidence to support the bizarre conspiracy theories he pushed; and any arrangements for his fees. On Jan. 6, speaking to a crowd of Trump supporters before the attack on the Capitol, Giuliani called for “trial by combat.” Later, after the building was under siege, both he and Trump called lawmakers in an attempt to delay the certification of Biden’s victory. Fighting subpoenas in court can be expensive, and Giuliani has already suffered a series of difficult — and potentially costly — legal setbacks. He is facing a defamation lawsuit from Dominion Voting Systems, accusing him of carrying out “a viral disinformation campaign” made up of “demonstrably false” claims that the company helped flip votes away from Trump. And in June, his law license was suspended after a New York court ruled he made “demonstrably false and misleading statements” while fighting the results of the 2020 election. While the committee continues to face stonewalling from top Trump aides and advisers, it has won various degrees of cooperation from a number of senior White House officials, including top aides to former Vice President Mike Pence and Giuliani’s own aide, Bernard Kerik, who once served as police commissioner in New York City. Kerik, who worked with Giuliani to investigate purported claims of election fraud, provided testimony to the committee and a trove of documents, but also kept some key documents secret, citing Trump’s invocation of executive privilege. The committee has interviewed around 500 witnesses and issued more than 100 subpoenas, including broad ones to banks as well as telecommunications and social media companies. Faced with at least 18 Trump allies who have signaled they will not fully cooperate, investigators for the committee have adopted techniques more typically used in organized crime prosecutions than in congressional inquiries and quietly turned at least six lower-level Trump staff members into witnesses who have provided information about their bosses’ activities. The committee is also considering granting immunity to crucial members of Trump’s inner circle who have invoked their Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination as a way of pressuring them to testify.

Giuliani in talks to testify to house Jan 6 panel

After his defeat in the 2020 elections, Donald Trump allegedly drafted an executive order directing the US’ top military leader to seize voting machines, a report has revealed.

The explosive document, released by the National Archives and obtained by Politico, has revealed the extreme measures Trump may have been willing to take to keep Joe Biden from being declared as the next president.

The three-page draft, dated December 16, 2020, ordered the Secretary of Defense to “seize, collect, retain and analyze all machines, equipment, electronically stored information, and material records required for retention.”

The order also sought to appoint a special counsel to bring charges on any fraud allegations that arose from the seizures, but it was never signed.

It is also unclear as to who drafted the order.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/exclusive-jerusalem-extremism-analyst-who-predicted-jan-6-riots-talks-to-wion-442914">Exclusive: Jerusalem extremism analyst who predicted Jan 6 riots talks to WION</a>

The draft is part of the 750-plus documents submitted by the National Archives to the House of Representatives select committee investigating the 2021 Capitol insurrection.

The then-president sought to block the release of the documents citing the “executive privilege” doctrine, but the Supreme Court on Wednesday rejected his appeal.

Trump and his allies spent months pushing a false narrative of widespread electoral fraud, despite the government officials rebuffing the charges.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/jan-6-panel-subpoenas-giuliani-digging-into-false-vote-fraud-claims-445946">Jan. 6 panel subpoenas Giuliani, digging into false vote fraud claims</a>

The claims were also rejected by Trump-appointed attorney general Bill Barr, and Trump was eventually impeached for inciting the attack on the Capitol by a mob of his supporters.

Meanwhile, the probe committee investigating on Thursday invited Ivanka Trump, daughter of Donald Trump, to provide information and participate in a voluntary interview.

Ivanka was a senior White House advisor to her father. The committee wants to ask her about Trump’s actions, or inaction, and his state of mind on January 6, 2021, when hundreds of his supporters stormed the Capitol and temporarily stopped Congress from confirming President Joe Biden’s 2020 election victory.

(With inputs from agencies)

After his defeat in the 2020 elections, Donald Trump allegedly drafted an executive order directing the US’ top military leader to seize voting machines, a report has revealed.

After his defeat in the 2020 elections, Donald Trump allegedly drafted an executive order directing the US’ top military leader to seize voting machines, a report has revealed. The explosive document, released by the National Archives and obtained by Politico, has revealed the extreme measures Trump may have been willing to take to keep Joe Biden from being declared as the next president. The three-page draft, dated December 16, 2020, ordered the Secretary of Defense to “seize, collect, retain and analyze all machines, equipment, electronically stored information, and material records required for retention.” The order also sought to appoint a special counsel to bring charges on any fraud allegations that arose from the seizures, but it was never signed. It is also unclear as to who drafted the order. Also read | Exclusive: Jerusalem extremism analyst who predicted Jan 6 riots talks to WION The draft is part of the 750-plus documents submitted by the National Archives to the House of Representatives select committee investigating the 2021 Capitol insurrection. The then-president sought to block the release of the documents citing the “executive privilege” doctrine, but the Supreme Court on Wednesday rejected his appeal. Trump and his allies spent months pushing a false narrative of widespread electoral fraud, despite the government officials rebuffing the charges. Also read | Jan. 6 panel subpoenas Giuliani, digging into false vote fraud claims The claims were also rejected by Trump-appointed attorney general Bill Barr, and Trump was eventually impeached for inciting the attack on the Capitol by a mob of his supporters. Meanwhile, the probe committee investigating on Thursday invited Ivanka Trump, daughter of Donald Trump, to provide information and participate in a voluntary interview. Ivanka was a senior White House advisor to her father. The committee wants to ask her about Trump’s actions, or inaction, and his state of mind on January 6, 2021, when hundreds of his supporters stormed the Capitol and temporarily stopped Congress from confirming President Joe Biden’s 2020 election victory. (With inputs from agencies)

Donald Trump ordered to seize voting machines after electoral loss: Report

The House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol on Tuesday subpoenaed Rudy Giuliani and other members of the legal team that pursued a set of conspiracy-filled lawsuits on behalf of former President Donald Trump in which they made unsubstantiated claims of fraud in the 2020 presidential election.

In addition to Giuliani, Trump’s personal lawyer and a ringleader of the group, the panel subpoenaed three others who played central roles in his effort to use the courts, state legislatures and Congress to try to overturn his defeat.

Jenna Ellis drafted a memo on how Trump could invalidate the election results by exploiting an obscure law. Sidney Powell, a lawyer who worked on many of the lawsuits with Giuliani, ran an organization that raised millions of dollars based on false claims that election machines were rigged. Boris Epshteyn pursued allegations of election fraud in Nevada and Arizona and is said to have participated in a call with Trump on the morning of Jan. 6, “during which options were discussed to delay the certification of election results,” the committee said.

“The four individuals we’ve subpoenaed today advanced unsupported theories about election fraud, pushed efforts to overturn the election results or were in direct contact with the former president about attempts to stop the counting of electoral votes,” Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss. and the chairman of the committee, said in a statement.

The subpoena to Giuliani, obtained by The New York Times, seeks all documents he has detailing the pressure campaign he and other Trump allies initiated targeting state officials; the seizure of voting machines; contact with members of Congress; any evidence to support the bizarre conspiracy theories pushed; and any arrangements for his attorney’s fees.

The panel instructed the four witnesses to turn over documents and submit to an interview in February.

The latest subpoenas came as the committee, which has interviewed nearly 400 witnesses, has issued a wide range of demands for records, including to banks and phone companies. On Tuesday, CNN reported that the committee had also obtained logs of phone calls and text messages belonging to the former president’s son Eric Trump and to Kimberly Guilfoyle, the girlfriend of another son, Donald Trump Jr. The logs do not reveal the content of the messages.

A committee spokesperson declined to comment on that report.

For weeks after the election, Giuliani and his team — which Ellis described as an “elite strike force” — promoted baseless claims of voter fraud through failed lawsuits, news conferences, media appearances and meetings with lawmakers.

The committee said in a letter to Giuliani that its investigation had revealed “credible evidence” that he participated in attempts to “disrupt or delay the certification of the election results,” convince state legislators to “take steps to overturn the election results” and urge Trump to order the seizure of voting machines.

Giuliani claimed fraud at a series of unofficial state legislative hearings, and even argued one election fraud case himself, in federal court in Philadelphia, where he suffered a decisive defeat.

“Voters, not lawyers, choose the president,” the court declared at one point.

On Jan. 6, speaking to a crowd of Trump supporters before the attack on the Capitol, Giuliani called for “trial by combat.” Later, as the building was under siege, he called lawmakers in an attempt to delay the certification of Joe Biden’s victory.

“Sen. Tuberville, or I should say coach Tuberville, this is Rudy Giuliani, the president’s lawyer,” Giuliani said in a voicemail message intended for Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., but mistakenly left on the phone of Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah. “I’m calling you because I want to discuss with you how they’re trying to rush this hearing and how we need you, our Republican friends, to try to just slow it down.”

Ellis, the committee said, “prepared and circulated” two memos analyzing the constitutional authority for former Vice President Mike Pence to reject or delay counting electoral votes from states where Trump’s allies had attempted to arrange for the submission of an alternate slate of electors. In the memos, obtained by Politico, Ellis advised that Pence had the authority to not count electoral votes from six states in which the Trump campaign falsely alleged there was widespread fraud.

Powell was among the leading promoters of some of the most far-fetched and fantastical claims of widespread voter fraud, including a bizarre conspiracy theory alleging a vast plot by China, Venezuela and financier George Soros to hack into Dominion Voting Systems machines to flip votes away from Trump to Biden.

She, too, urged Trump to seize voting machines, according to the committee.

In December, Trump considered naming Powell to be a special counsel overseeing an investigation of voter fraud, even after his campaign had sought to distance itself from her as she aired wild and baseless claims about Dominion voting machines.

Her organization, Defending the Republic, raised $14.9 million between December 2020 and July. Powell’s group has more than $9.3 million in funds on hand, according to an independent audit filed with Florida, which investigated the organization and alleged multiple violations of state law.

Epshteyn reportedly attended planning meetings at the Willard Hotel in the days leading up to Jan. 6, the committee said. The panel, citing reporting from The Guardian, said he also participated in a call with Trump the morning of Jan. 6 that included a discussion of Pence’s “unwillingness to deny or delay the certification.”

Giuliani is facing a defamation lawsuit from Dominion Voting Systems, alleging he carried out “a viral disinformation campaign about Dominion” made up of “demonstrably false” allegations, in part to enrich himself through legal fees and his podcast.

In June, his law license was suspended after a New York court ruled he made “demonstrably false and misleading statements” while fighting the results of the 2020 election.

An internal memo made public through a defamation suit filed by a Dominion employee revealed in November that Trump’s campaign had determined many of the outlandish claims they were making about election machines were untrue.

On Twitter, Epshteyn said he was not surprised by the subpoena. He accused the committee of engaging in a “Stalinist witch hunt” against Trump and his supporters.

Robert Costello, a lawyer for Giuliani, called the subpoena “political theater” and said Giuliani would be covered by executive privilege, should Trump invoke it, as well as attorney-client privilege.

“They’re not going to charge Rudy Giuliani with anything, and they’re also not going to get any information from Rudy Giuliani factually,” he said, adding: “Did they even call me and even ask if Rudy would voluntarily talk to them?”

Ellis and Powell did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol on Tuesday subpoenaed Rudy Giuliani and other members of the legal team that pursued a set of conspiracy-filled lawsuits on behalf of former President Donald Trump in which they made unsubstantiated claims of fraud in the 2020 presidential election.

The House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol on Tuesday subpoenaed Rudy Giuliani and other members of the legal team that pursued a set of conspiracy-filled lawsuits on behalf of former President Donald Trump in which they made unsubstantiated claims of fraud in the 2020 presidential election. In addition to Giuliani, Trump’s personal lawyer and a ringleader of the group, the panel subpoenaed three others who played central roles in his effort to use the courts, state legislatures and Congress to try to overturn his defeat. Jenna Ellis drafted a memo on how Trump could invalidate the election results by exploiting an obscure law. Sidney Powell, a lawyer who worked on many of the lawsuits with Giuliani, ran an organization that raised millions of dollars based on false claims that election machines were rigged. Boris Epshteyn pursued allegations of election fraud in Nevada and Arizona and is said to have participated in a call with Trump on the morning of Jan. 6, “during which options were discussed to delay the certification of election results,” the committee said. “The four individuals we’ve subpoenaed today advanced unsupported theories about election fraud, pushed efforts to overturn the election results or were in direct contact with the former president about attempts to stop the counting of electoral votes,” Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss. and the chairman of the committee, said in a statement. The subpoena to Giuliani, obtained by The New York Times, seeks all documents he has detailing the pressure campaign he and other Trump allies initiated targeting state officials; the seizure of voting machines; contact with members of Congress; any evidence to support the bizarre conspiracy theories pushed; and any arrangements for his attorney’s fees. The panel instructed the four witnesses to turn over documents and submit to an interview in February. The latest subpoenas came as the committee, which has interviewed nearly 400 witnesses, has issued a wide range of demands for records, including to banks and phone companies. On Tuesday, CNN reported that the committee had also obtained logs of phone calls and text messages belonging to the former president’s son Eric Trump and to Kimberly Guilfoyle, the girlfriend of another son, Donald Trump Jr. The logs do not reveal the content of the messages. A committee spokesperson declined to comment on that report. For weeks after the election, Giuliani and his team — which Ellis described as an “elite strike force” — promoted baseless claims of voter fraud through failed lawsuits, news conferences, media appearances and meetings with lawmakers. The committee said in a letter to Giuliani that its investigation had revealed “credible evidence” that he participated in attempts to “disrupt or delay the certification of the election results,” convince state legislators to “take steps to overturn the election results” and urge Trump to order the seizure of voting machines. Giuliani claimed fraud at a series of unofficial state legislative hearings, and even argued one election fraud case himself, in federal court in Philadelphia, where he suffered a decisive defeat. “Voters, not lawyers, choose the president,” the court declared at one point. On Jan. 6, speaking to a crowd of Trump supporters before the attack on the Capitol, Giuliani called for “trial by combat.” Later, as the building was under siege, he called lawmakers in an attempt to delay the certification of Joe Biden’s victory. “Sen. Tuberville, or I should say coach Tuberville, this is Rudy Giuliani, the president’s lawyer,” Giuliani said in a voicemail message intended for Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., but mistakenly left on the phone of Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah. “I’m calling you because I want to discuss with you how they’re trying to rush this hearing and how we need you, our Republican friends, to try to just slow it down.” Ellis, the committee said, “prepared and circulated” two memos analyzing the constitutional authority for former Vice President Mike Pence to reject or delay counting electoral votes from states where Trump’s allies had attempted to arrange for the submission of an alternate slate of electors. In the memos, obtained by Politico, Ellis advised that Pence had the authority to not count electoral votes from six states in which the Trump campaign falsely alleged there was widespread fraud. Powell was among the leading promoters of some of the most far-fetched and fantastical claims of widespread voter fraud, including a bizarre conspiracy theory alleging a vast plot by China, Venezuela and financier George Soros to hack into Dominion Voting Systems machines to flip votes away from Trump to Biden. She, too, urged Trump to seize voting machines, according to the committee. In December, Trump considered naming Powell to be a special counsel overseeing an investigation of voter fraud, even after his campaign had sought to distance itself from her as she aired wild and baseless claims about Dominion voting machines. Her organization, Defending the Republic, raised $14.9 million between December 2020 and July. Powell’s group has more than $9.3 million in funds on hand, according to an independent audit filed with Florida, which investigated the organization and alleged multiple violations of state law. Epshteyn reportedly attended planning meetings at the Willard Hotel in the days leading up to Jan. 6, the committee said. The panel, citing reporting from The Guardian, said he also participated in a call with Trump the morning of Jan. 6 that included a discussion of Pence’s “unwillingness to deny or delay the certification.” Giuliani is facing a defamation lawsuit from Dominion Voting Systems, alleging he carried out “a viral disinformation campaign about Dominion” made up of “demonstrably false” allegations, in part to enrich himself through legal fees and his podcast. In June, his law license was suspended after a New York court ruled he made “demonstrably false and misleading statements” while fighting the results of the 2020 election. An internal memo made public through a defamation suit filed by a Dominion employee revealed in November that Trump’s campaign had determined many of the outlandish claims they were making about election machines were untrue. On Twitter, Epshteyn said he was not surprised by the subpoena. He accused the committee of engaging in a “Stalinist witch hunt” against Trump and his supporters. Robert Costello, a lawyer for Giuliani, called the subpoena “political theater” and said Giuliani would be covered by executive privilege, should Trump invoke it, as well as attorney-client privilege. “They’re not going to charge Rudy Giuliani with anything, and they’re also not going to get any information from Rudy Giuliani factually,” he said, adding: “Did they even call me and even ask if Rudy would voluntarily talk to them?” Ellis and Powell did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Jan. 6 panel subpoenas Giuliani, digging into false vote fraud claims

Law enforcement and residents of the District of Columbia were on high alert Saturday as far-right demonstrators were expected to gather at the foot of the Capitol to protest the jailing of Donald Trump supporters who stormed the building Jan. 6.

The Department of Defense put 100 National Guard troops on standby. The Capitol Police erected fencing around Capitol Hill. Even youth soccer games were canceled before the “Justice for J6” rally, the first significant gathering of right-wing demonstrators at the Capitol since a mob attacked the building in January as Congress was officially certifying President Joe Biden’s victory.

The rally is being organized by Matt Braynard, a former Trump campaign operative, and his organization, Look Ahead America. The organization has demanded that the Department of Justice drop charges against what the group calls “nonviolent protesters” facing charges stemming from the Jan. 6 riot. Organizers have secured a permit for 700 attendees, according to the document.

Braynard has told protesters to be peaceful, “respectful and kind” to the hundreds of police officers expected to meet them, and to refrain from bringing signs, flags or clothing promoting a candidate or objecting to the 2020 election.

“What we’re looking for is pure patriotism,” he said in a promotional video.

But the Department of Homeland Security has warned of potential violence.

“We are aware of a small number of recent online threats of violence referencing the planned rally, including online discussions encouraging violence the day before the rally,” the department’s intelligence officers wrote in a report obtained by The New York Times.

Officers are preparing for violence to erupt with “little-to-no warning,” although authorities have not identified any “specific or credible plot associated with the event,” according to the document.

It is not at all clear whether the event will attract a large crowd. But in a measure of the lasting effect of the Jan. 6 riot, Washington is bracing for trouble.

Dozens of officers in riot gear could be seen near the Capitol on Saturday morning, as well as officers on horseback. Law enforcement agencies in the region, including the Virginia State Police and the police department for Prince George’s County in Maryland, arrived with armored cars and other resources.

Soccer games and other outdoor activities for children in nearby parks were canceled. Taking time from a somber news conference in which the United States accepted culpability for an errant airstrike in Kabul, John Kirby, the Department of Defense's chief spokesperson, said the defense secretary had approved a request for a contingent of unarmed National Guard troops.

The rally is the latest effort to rewrite the history of the deadly mob attack on the Capitol, which sought to disrupt Congress’s count to formalize Biden’s victory in the 2020 election, and which prosecutors say led to as many as 1,000 assaults against police officers. Federal authorities have issued multiple intelligence reports this year warning that the attack on Jan. 6 may not have been an isolated episode and that domestic extremists have been emboldened by the mob attack and false narratives around the 2020 election.

Trump issued a statement from his office Thursday, making no mention of the rally but saying, “Our hearts and minds are with the people being persecuted so unfairly relating to the January 6th protest concerning the Rigged Presidential Election.” He added, “JUSTICE WILL PREVAIL!”

In addition to restoring the fence, the Capitol Police have installed new security camera technology to better monitor a wider range of activity around the complex and have streamlined their intelligence-sharing and planning processes after the January attack.

Law enforcement and residents of the District of Columbia were on high alert Saturday as far-right demonstrators were expected to gather at the foot of the Capitol to protest the jailing of Donald Trump supporters who stormed the building Jan.

Law enforcement and residents of the District of Columbia were on high alert Saturday as far-right demonstrators were expected to gather at the foot of the Capitol to protest the jailing of Donald Trump supporters who stormed the building Jan. 6. The Department of Defense put 100 National Guard troops on standby. The Capitol Police erected fencing around Capitol Hill. Even youth soccer games were canceled before the “Justice for J6” rally, the first significant gathering of right-wing demonstrators at the Capitol since a mob attacked the building in January as Congress was officially certifying President Joe Biden’s victory. The rally is being organized by Matt Braynard, a former Trump campaign operative, and his organization, Look Ahead America. The organization has demanded that the Department of Justice drop charges against what the group calls “nonviolent protesters” facing charges stemming from the Jan. 6 riot. Organizers have secured a permit for 700 attendees, according to the document. Braynard has told protesters to be peaceful, “respectful and kind” to the hundreds of police officers expected to meet them, and to refrain from bringing signs, flags or clothing promoting a candidate or objecting to the 2020 election. “What we’re looking for is pure patriotism,” he said in a promotional video. But the Department of Homeland Security has warned of potential violence. “We are aware of a small number of recent online threats of violence referencing the planned rally, including online discussions encouraging violence the day before the rally,” the department’s intelligence officers wrote in a report obtained by The New York Times. Officers are preparing for violence to erupt with “little-to-no warning,” although authorities have not identified any “specific or credible plot associated with the event,” according to the document. It is not at all clear whether the event will attract a large crowd. But in a measure of the lasting effect of the Jan. 6 riot, Washington is bracing for trouble. Dozens of officers in riot gear could be seen near the Capitol on Saturday morning, as well as officers on horseback. Law enforcement agencies in the region, including the Virginia State Police and the police department for Prince George’s County in Maryland, arrived with armored cars and other resources. Soccer games and other outdoor activities for children in nearby parks were canceled. Taking time from a somber news conference in which the United States accepted culpability for an errant airstrike in Kabul, John Kirby, the Department of Defense's chief spokesperson, said the defense secretary had approved a request for a contingent of unarmed National Guard troops. The rally is the latest effort to rewrite the history of the deadly mob attack on the Capitol, which sought to disrupt Congress’s count to formalize Biden’s victory in the 2020 election, and which prosecutors say led to as many as 1,000 assaults against police officers. Federal authorities have issued multiple intelligence reports this year warning that the attack on Jan. 6 may not have been an isolated episode and that domestic extremists have been emboldened by the mob attack and false narratives around the 2020 election. Trump issued a statement from his office Thursday, making no mention of the rally but saying, “Our hearts and minds are with the people being persecuted so unfairly relating to the January 6th protest concerning the Rigged Presidential Election.” He added, “JUSTICE WILL PREVAIL!” In addition to restoring the fence, the Capitol Police have installed new security camera technology to better monitor a wider range of activity around the complex and have streamlined their intelligence-sharing and planning processes after the January attack.

Capitol area on edge over right-wing protest of Jan 6 arrests

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