Former White House Official Allegedly Said National Guard Would 'Protect Pro Trump People' on Jan. 6

The claim is part of a report by the committee investigating the attack on the U.S. Capitol and its case for recommending charges against Trump’s former chief of staff Mark Meadows

White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows. Photo: Patrick Semansky/AP/Shutterstock

Lawmakers investigating the deadly Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol say they want to know more about an email in which Mark Meadows, Donald Trump's former Chief of Staff, indicated that the National Guard would be on standby that day to "protect pro Trump people."

The email is mentioned in a 51-page document released Sunday by the House committee investigating the January riots, which is set to vote to hold 62-year-old Meadows in contempt of Congress Monday.

Further context of the email — including who it was sent to or what it was in response to — remain unclear.

"Mr. Meadows sent an email to an individual about the events on January 6 and said that the National Guard would be present to ''protect pro Trump people'' and that many more would be available on standby," the document claims.

"Mr. Meadows apparently knows if and when Mr. Trump was engaged in discussions regarding the National Guard's response to the Capitol riot," the committee said, calling it "a point that is contested but about which Mr. Meadows provided documents to Select Committee and spoke publicly on national television after President Trump left office."

Meadows, who served in the White House from March 2020 until the end of Trump's term, was subpoenaed in September and initially cooperated with the House Select Committee but failed to show up for his deposition last week or to provide additional documents they requested.

The committee said Meadows has left them with many unanswered questions they would like him to answer.

The attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Samuel Corum/Getty

"Mr. Meadows was one of a relatively small group of people who witnessed the events of January 6 in the White House and with then-President Trump," the lawmakers said in their report. "Mr. Meadows was with or in the vicinity of then-President Trump on January 6 as he learned about the attack on the U.S. Capitol and decided whether to issue a statement that could stop the rioters."

In addition to the White House's response to violence at the Capitol and the email about the National Guard, the committee is seeking information on various aspects of Meadows' role in plans leading up to Jan. 6, including correspondence about "apparent efforts to encourage Republican legislators in certain States to send alternate slates of electors to Congress."

"I love it," Meadows allegedly said of a plan to attempt to overturn the election Joe Biden won, according to the report.

Alex Wong/Getty

Had Meadows showed up for his deposition, "We would have asked him about text messages sent to and received from a Senator regarding the Vice President's power to reject electors, including a text in which Mr. Meadows recounts a direct communication with President Trump who, according to Mr. Meadows in his text messages … 'thinks the legislators have the power, but the VP has power too,'" the committee said in its report.

The committee is also interested in Meadows' text messages with a rally organizer who told him Jan. 6 that "[t]hings have gotten crazy and I desperately need some direction. Please."

Meadows has reportedly cited the former president's assertion of executive privilege as his reason to end cooperation with the committee. But the lawmakers point to Meadows' book, The Chief's Chief, and various passages it contains that are "relevant" to their investigation, they said.

White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows.

Rep. Adam Schiff, who is a member of the committee, told Politico that by writing about the events in his book, Meadows is "waiving any claim of privilege."

"These passages reflect direct communications between Mr. Meadows and President Trump directly impacting his claims of executive privilege," the committee members said in the report.

"Mr. Meadows apparently knows if and when Mr. Trump was engaged in discussions regarding the National Guard's response to the Capitol riot," the committee said, calling it "a point that is contested but about which Mr. Meadows provided documents to Select Committee and spoke publicly on national television after President Trump left office."

Meadows, who served in the White House from March 2020 until the end of Trump's term, was subpoenaed in September and initially cooperated with the House Select Committee but failed to show up for his deposition last week or to provide additional documents they requested.

The committee, which is scheduled to vote Monday on recommending charges, said Meadows has left them with many unanswered questions they would like him to answer.

Rioters at the U.S. Capitol building on Jan. 6. Jon Cherry/Getty Images

"Mr. Meadows was one of a relatively small group of people who witnessed the events of January 6 in the White House and with then-President Trump," the lawmakers said in their report. "Mr. Meadows was with or in the vicinity of then-President Trump on January 6 as he learned about the attack on the U.S. Capitol and decided whether to issue a statement thatcould stop the rioters."

In addition to the White House's response to violence at the Capitol and the email about the National Guard, the committee is seeking information on various aspects of Meadows' role in plans leading up to Jan. 6, including correspondence about "apparent efforts to encourage Republican legislators in certain States to send alternate slates of electors to Congress."

"I love it," Meadows allegedly said of a plan to attempt to overturn the election Joe Biden won, according to the report.

Alex Wong/Getty

Had Meadows showed up for his deposition, "We would have asked him about text messages sent to and received from a Senator regarding the Vice President's power to reject electors, including a text in which Mr. Meadows recounts a direct communication with President Trump who, according to Mr. Meadows in his text messages … 'thinks the legislators have the power, but the VP has power too,'" the committee said in its report.

The committee is also interested in Meadows' text messages with a rally organizer who told him Jan. 6 that "[t]hings have gotten crazy and I desperately need some direction. Please."

Meadows has reportedly cited the former president's assertion of executive privilege as his reason to end cooperation with the committee. But the lawmakers point to Meadows' book, The Chief's Chief, and various passages it contains that are "relevant" to their investigation, they said.

White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows.

Rep. Adam Schiff, who is a member of the committee, told Politico that by writing about the events in his book, Meadows is "waiving any claim of privilege."

"These passages reflect direct communications between Mr. Meadows and President Trump directly impacting his claims of executive privilege," the committee members said in the report.