Trump Asked Head of His Secret Service Detail to Take Him to the Capitol On Jan. 6, Report Reveals

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Former President Donald Trump reportedly suggested to the head of his secret service detail to take him to the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 following the rally that preceded the deadly attack.

Politico’s Betsy Woodruff Swan reported on Wednesday night that Robert Engel, the head of Trump’s detail, told the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack that Trump expressed his desire to join his supporters at the Capitol.

“Engel told Jan. 6 select committee investigators that the two men discussed Trump’s desire to go to the Capitol and took different views on the topic,” Woodruff Swan reported, citing sources familiar with Engel’s testimony.

“Engel noted that they went back to the White House instead of heading to Capitol Hill,” the report adds.

The conversation took place as Trump was being transported back to the White House after addressing the “Stop the Steal” rally at the Ellipse.

Trump eluded to the fact he would be going to the Capitol during his speech, “We’re going to the Capitol. We’re going to try and give them the kind of pride and boldness that they need to take back our country.”

Trump made that comment around 1:10 p.m., after “law enforcement officials headed to the Republican National Committee headquarters because a pipe bomb had been found there” at 12:45 p.m.

Woodruff Swan notes that at that same time “Trump supporters clashed with police and began to move onto restricted grounds around the Capitol.”

Engel’s testimony adds important context as to what Trump was thinking and planning that day. The additional information raises the prospect that Trump wanted to pressure his Vice President, Mike Pence, in person to refuse to certify the 2020 presidential election results.