Pence Staffer Warned Secret Service Of Jan. 6 Security Threat, Report Says

Topline

Former Vice President Mike Pence’s chief of staff, Marc Short, warned Pence’s lead Secret Service agent a day before the Capitol riot that Pence could be in danger on January 6 because Trump would publicly attack him for refusing to intervene in the election certification, the New York Times reported on Friday.

Former President Donald Trump stands with former Vice President Mike Pence.

Getty Images

Key Facts

Short did not share with Pence’s Secret Service agent, Tim Giebels, what kind of security threat Pence might face when he met with Giebels in the West Wing, but the warning was the only time Short voiced a security concern during his time as Pence’s chief of staff, the Times reported, citing sources familiar with the conversations.

The warning came as Trump was pressuring Pence not to certify President Joe Biden’s victory on January 6, though the vice president ultimately chose to go against Trump’s wishes, later saying he was “proud” of his actions.

The news—uncovered during Times White House Correspondent Maggie Haberman’s reporting for an upcoming book—comes a week after the Times reported White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows told colleagues during the Capitol riot Trump seemed to approve of “Hang Mike Pence!” chants that broke out among rioters.

The Secret Service and a representative for Pence did not respond to requests for comment from Forbes.

Surprising Fact

To help quell tensions between Trump and Pence, Short contacted Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law and senior adviser, at the end of December to ask for help, but Kushner said he was busy with negotiations in the Middle East, according to the Times.

Tangent

After rioters breached the Capitol, Giebels led Pence from the Senate chamber to secure his safety. He took Pence to an underground loading dock where the vice president refused to get in a car despite his aide’s insistence because Pence said such a move would allow the rioters to believe they won, the Times reported. Pence waited underground for three hours until the Capitol was secured so he could finally certify the election results, according to the Times.

Key Background

In the days leading up to the Electoral College vote count on January 6, Trump used social media and personal communication with the vice president to press him to reject Biden’s win. The day before the insurrection, Trump tweeted “The Vice President has the power to reject fraudulently chosen electors.” At the rally on January 6, Trump said, “Mike Pence, I hope you’re going to stand up for the good of our Constitution and for the good of our country,” adding, “if you’re not, I’m going to be very disappointed in you.” Before the certification, Pence asked his chief counsel to write a memo detailing what his role and powers were on January 6, the Times reported. Pence’s aides ultimately determined the vice president did not have the authority to intervene. Pence issued a statement as the certification process started on January 6 explaining he did not believe he had the power to reject the votes. During the riots outside the Capitol, some Trump supporters created a makeshift gallows, as Trump tweeted Pence “didn’t have the courage to do what should have been done to protect our Country.”

Crucial Quote

“There’s almost no idea more un-American than the notion that any one person could choose the American president. The presidency belongs to the American people and the American people alone,” Pence said in June 2021, defending his decision to certify the 2020 presidential election.

What To Watch For

More “unseen material” and witness testimony on the events of January 6. The House committee investigating the Capitol riot plans to share new evidence in the first of several hearings next week to unveil the findings of its investigation into the insurrection, the panel announced on Thursday.