Trump Asks Why Jan. 6 Committee Didn't Ask Him to Testify 'Months Ago'

Donald Trump has reacted dismissively to the House January 6 committee's unanimous vote demanding he testify and fork over documents, calling the timing of the move proof the probe has been a "total 'BUST.'"

The former president took to his Truth Social platform on Thursday to blast the committee as it began finalizing its investigation into the run-up to the insurrection of January 6, 2021. After beginning its work over a year ago, the committee's nine members voted to subpoena Trump, putting the parties on a collision course.

"Didn't the Unselect Committee ask me to testify months ago?" Trump said in his Truth Social post. "Why did they wait until the very end, the final moments of their last meeting? Because the Committee is a total 'BUST' that has only served to further divide our Country which, by the way, is doing very badly - A laughing stock all over the World?"

The House committee was formed in July 2021 on a primarily party line vote. The panel has recently turned its focus on finding links between Trump and the mob that stormed the Capitol as Congress was certifying the 2020 presidential vote.

Over the summer, the committee held eight televised hearings that laid out evidence that Trump and his allies allegedly engaged in a plot to prevent Congress from certifying Joe Biden as winner of the 2020 presidential election. The hearings also presented evidence that Trump allegedly took a hands-off approach initially as the mob overran the Capitol.

During Thursday's televised hearing, the committee presented new material, including lawmakers calling local law enforcement for help while hiding from the mob. Additionally, the committee revealed that Roger Stone, a conservative political strategist and Trump ally, had pled the Fifth Amendment against self-incrimination during his deposition before the committee. The panel also showed a video of Stone calling for violence.

As the hearing came to a close, Representative Bennie Thompson, the committee's chair, said the panel had no choice but to compel Trump to testify and provide documents.

"We have left no doubt—none—that Donald Trump led an effort to upend American democracy that directly resulted in the violence of January 6," Thompson said. "He is the one person at the center of the story of what happened on January 6. So we want to hear from him."

While the committee held its hearing, Trump made multiple posts to Truth Social about record inflation, the war in Ukraine and his litany of grievances, including the 2020 election and his insistence past presidents stored documents improperly.

In a followup post, Trump called the probe the "Unselect Committee," saying it "knowingly failed" to examine what he described as "massive voter fraud" during the 2020 election, a claim that has been exhaustively debunked by courts, state audits and former members of the ex-president's administration.

Former members of Trump's administration and his allies have resisted testifying before the committee, arguing they were protected by executive privilege. It remains to be seen whether Trump will cooperate, but Thompson said during the hearing that he was optimistic the ex-president will comply.

Newsweek has reached out to Trump for comment.

Update 10/13/22, 5:40 p.m. ET: This story has been updated with additional comments and information.