Jan. 6 hearing witness: Irate Trump grabbed wheel, demanded to go to Capitol

Vice chair Liz Cheney said Cassidy Hutchinson was in a "position to know a great deal about the happenings in the Trump White House."

"Today, you will hear Ms. Hutchinson relate certain first-hand observations about President Trump's conduct on Jan. 6," Cheney said in her opening statement. "You will also hear new information regarding the actions and statements of Mr. Trump's senior advisers that day, including his chief of staff Mark Meadows, and his White House counsel."

Cheney said information will also be released on what Trump and members of the White House knew about the potential for violence on Jan. 6.

Chair Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., convened the unexpected hearing shortly after 1 p.m. with Cassidy Hutchinson, a former top aide to Trump White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, taking her seat as members took the dais.

In brief opening remarks, he explained information that she had needed to be shared with the American people "immediately" and hailed her courage.

"In recent days, the select committee has obtained new information, dealing with what was going on in the White House on Jan. 6, and in the days prior. Specific, detailed information about what the former president and his top aides were doing and saying in those critical hours. Firsthand details of what transpired in the Office of the White House chief of staff," Thompson said.

"It hasn't always been easy to get that information, because the same people who drove the former president's pressure campaign to overturn the election are now trying to cover up the truth about January 6. But thanks to the courage of certain individuals, the truth won't be buried. The American people won't be left in the dark," he added. "Our witness today is Cassidy Hutchinson, she has embodied that courage."

With the nature of the hearing coming up with little notice, signaling urgency for the committee, reporters and cameras swarmed the witness table inside the Cannon Office Building ahead of Cassidy Hutchinson taking her seat.

Hutchinson entered the hearing room at 1 p.m. with members of the Jan. 6 committee.

ABC News Chief Washington Correspondent Jon Karl said sources have told him the hearing will be "Big —and disturbing."

Former White House deputy press secretary Sarah Matthews showed support for Cassidy Hutchinson ahead of her scheduled testimony.

"Just want to say how much admiration I have for the tremendous bravery Cassidy Hutchinson is displaying," Matthews wrote on Twitter. "Even in the face of harassment and threats, she is choosing to put her country first and tell the truth."

"This is what real courage, integrity, and patriotism looks like," Matthews added.

Matthews resigned from her position in the Trump administration on Jan. 6 , stating she was "deeply disturbed" by what took place that day.