Donald Trump Jr. Planning To Meet With Jan. 6 Committee, Report Says

Topline

Donald Trump Jr. is expected to meet with the January 6 committee investigators in the coming days, according to ABC News, making him the latest member of the former president’s immediate family to testify in the committee’s probe.

Key Facts

Trump Jr. was invited to speak to investigators voluntarily and has not been subpoenaed, according to ABC, citing sources with knowledge of the situation.

His fiance, Kimberly Guilfoyle, met with committee investigators earlier this week, after receiving a subpoena.

Her attorneys terminated a voluntary, virtual meeting with the committee in February after complaining about the meeting’s format.

Former President Donald Trump’s daughter Ivanka Trump and his son-in-law Jared Kushner both recently met voluntarily with investigators and reportedly were cooperative with questioning.

Trump Jr.’s attorney, Alan S. Futerfas, did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Forbes.

Key Background

The January 6 committee is reportedly in possession of numerous texts sent between Trump Jr. and former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows leading up to and during the January 6, 2021, Capitol rioting. CNN reported earlier this month about texts from Trump Jr. laying out plans to contest the 2020 presidential election results before President Joe Biden was even declared the winner. The texts from Trump Jr. to Meadows, sent on November 5, 2020, outlined ideas that largely went on to become the Trump team’s legal strategy— namely lawsuits challenging results, attempts to appoint fake electors and ultimately a push for Congress to block the certification of Biden’s win on January 6, 2021. The January 6 committee also revealed texts in November sent from Trump Jr. to Meadows on the day of the rioting saying things had “gone too far and gotten out of hand,” while pushing for Meadows to get his father to “condemn this shit ASAP.”

What To Watch For

The January 6 committee is expected to start conducting public hearings in May before ultimately releasing a report on its findings. The committee, made up of seven Democrats and two Republicans, has been broadly tasked with determining the origins of the attack and what, if any, organizing went into the storming of the Capitol. It’s also attempting to address unanswered questions, like what the former president’s actions were during the rioting. The committee does not have the power to charge anyone with crimes, but it can turn over any evidence it gathers to the Justice Department, which does hold the authority to bring criminal charges.

Further Reading

Donald Trump Jr. expected to meet with Jan. 6 committee: Sources (ABC News)

Ivanka Trump Is Reportedly Cooperative During Appearance Before January 6 Committee (Forbes)

Fox News Stars—Ingraham, Hannity, Kilmeade—Stay Mum Over Jan. 6 Texts Urging Trump To Take Action (Forbes)

Trump Jr. Reportedly Texted Plans To Overturn Results Just After Election Day (Forbes)