The House committee investigating the January 6 attack released an audio recording Thursday in which members of the far-right Oath Keepers militia react in real-time to one of former President Donald Trump’s tweets as his supporters stormed and ransacked the U.S. Capitol.
The new audio makes clear the militia members were emboldened by Trump’s response to the attack, which urged rioters to “please support our Capitol Police, they are on our side.”
Communicating via a walkie-talkie app, Oath Keepers who were inside the Capitol and in other locations responded positively to Trump’s message, with one noting that “he didn’t say not to do anything to the congressmen.”
“He did not ask them to stand down,” said another person on the recording.
After one militia member read off a news alert that lawmakers had been evacuated to a safe room, another replied, “There’s no safe place in the United States for any of these motherfuckers right now, let me tell you.”
“Military principle 105,” the man added. “Cave means grave.”
The Select Committee has obtained a recording of communications over a walkie-talkie app among Oath Keepers who were inside the Capitol and others who were sharing intelligence from elsewhere.
Listen to how they reacted to President Trump’s 2:38 tweet in real-time. pic.twitter.com/0ZzJ1E37w0
— January 6th Committee (@January6thCmte) September 15, 2022
A number of Oath Keepers, including the group’s founder and leader Stewart Rhodes, have been charged with seditious conspiracy and other crimes in connection to their roles in the January 6 insurrection.
“January 6th was a coordinated attack, fueled by the former president and the Big Lie,” Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) tweeted Thursday. “Everyone involved must be held accountable to the full extent of the law.”
The House January 6 committee published the Oath Keepers audio recording as it prepares to hold its second round of public hearings on the Capitol attack on September 28.
The Justice Department, which has been observing the January 6 hearings and examining the committee’s findings, is currently investigating Trump directly as part of its criminal probe of the Capitol attack.
In an interview earlier Thursday with right-wing radio host Hugh Hewitt, Trump threatened “big problems” if the Justice Department chooses to indict him over the January 6 attack, which he helped incite with constant lies about the integrity of the 2020 presidential election.
Trump, who is also facing a Justice Department investigation for removing classified documents from the White House, said a DOJ indictment would not stop him from running for president in 2024.
Noah Bookbinder, president of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, wrote on Twitter that “Trump warning of ‘big problems’ if he’s indicted is incredibly troubling, given his past history of inciting an insurrection.”
“This is dangerous rhetoric from him,” Bookbinder added, “and underscores once again his lack of regard for democracy and the rule of law.”
Defying Trump’s right-wing agenda from Day One
Inauguration Day is coming up soon, and at Truthout, we plan to defy Trump’s right-wing agenda from Day One.
Looking to the first year of Trump’s presidency, we know that the most vulnerable among us will be harmed. Militarized policing in U.S. cities and at the borders will intensify. The climate crisis will deteriorate further. The erosion of free speech has already begun, and we anticipate more attacks on journalism.
It will be a terrifying four years to produce social justice-driven journalism. But we’re not falling to despair, because we know there are reasons to believe in our collective power.
The stories we publish at Truthout are part of the antidote to creeping authoritarianism. And this year, we promise we will kick into an even higher gear to give you truthful news that cuts against the disinformation, vitriol, hate and violence. We promise to publish analyses that will serve the needs of the movements we all rely on to survive the next four years, and even build for the future. We promise to be responsive, to recognize you as members of our community with a vital stake and voice in this work.
Please show your support for Truthout with a tax-deductible donation (either once today or on a monthly basis).