In historic move, House Jan. 6 committee votes to subpoena Trump

Rep. Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., reiterated testimony from former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson about an alleged altercation between Trump and his security detail in the presidential SUV on Jan. 6.

Hutchinson said she was told by Tony Ornato, a senior Secret Service official who was at the time White House deputy chief of staff for operations, that Trump was so angry he couldn't join supporters at the Capitol after his speech at the Ellipse that he tried to grab the steering wheel and lunged at agent Bobby Engel, who was driving the vehicle.

Aguilar said the altercation was "so widely known" that one former White House employee with national security responsibilities explained the information was "water cooler talk" around the White House complex.

"That professional also testified that they were specifically informed of the president's irate behavior in the SUV by Mr. Ornato in Mr. Ornato's office," Aguilar said.

Aguilar said the committee is reviewing testimony about "potential obstruction" surrounding this testimony about the alleged SUV incident.

"We will address this matter in our report," Aguilar said.

The committee revealed new evidence it said showed the Secret Service was aware of threats of violence prior to the insurrection, worrying over social media posts prior to Jan. 6 and what it viewed the day of the attack on the Capitol.

One tip received by the agency said that the Proud Boys, a far-right white chauvinist group, "think[s] that they will have a large enough group to march into D.C. armed and will outnumber the police so they can't be stopped."

"Their plan is to literally kill people. Please please take this tip seriously and investigate further," the tip read.

"Right wing groups responding across the nation and establishing 'quick reaction forces' in Virginia," one Jan. 5, 2021, Secret Service email the panel said it uncovered read.

On the day of the attack, just before the pro-Trump mob moved toward the Capitol, agents voiced growing concern over the number of weapons seized or seen.

"With so many weapons so far, you wonder how many are unknown. Could be sporty after dark," one agent wrote in a message to a colleague.
"No doubt. The people at the Ellipse said they are moving to the Capitol after the POTUS speech," a second agent responded.

The committee plans to hold a vote on subpoenaing former President Trump during today’s hearing, sources familiar with the matter tell ABC News.

Speaker Pelosi was given a heads up about the committee's decision to vote on the matter, sources familiar with the matter say.

The move comes as the committee has debated for months how to handle a request for his cooperation.

Thompson told me earlier today that a subpoena was not off the table.

It’s not clear whether the committee will formally request former Vice President Mike Pence’s testimony, but committee investigators have been privately negotiating with his counsel for months.

--ABC News' Katherine Faulders

An email exchange dated Jan. 6, 2021, between Pence aide Greg Jacob and attorney John Eastman showed Trump had already been advised that former Vice President Mike Pence could not overturn the 2020 election results.

"Did you advise the President that in your professional judgment the Vice President DOES NOT have the power to decide things unilaterally?" Jacob sent to Eastman.

"He's been so advised," Eastman replied.