Kinzinger: ‘More to Come’ on Direct Links Between Trump White House, Extremist Groups

Representative Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) said Tuesday on CNN’s “New Day” that the House Select Committee investigating the January 6 riot will release more information on direct links between former President Donald Trump and extremist groups.

Anchor Brianna Keilar said, “Other than the tweet that Trump put out urging supporters to come to Washington, sort of a siren call, and I think that it is reasonable to look at it that way, but other than that, is there any direct link from the Trump White House to the extremist groups in the leading up to January 6?”

Kinzinger said, “Look, in terms of any direct links, we’re going to put out more information. We’ll have more hearings. My issue is this, and this is what we were talking about in the Thursday night hearing. The president tried every effort to overturn the election in the lead-up to January 6. On January 6, the president did far more than just fail to act. He chose to stand by for the first time in his life, actually resist peer pressure, to see where this, like, attack on the Capitol would go because maybe it would succeed. And only when it didn’t did he step out. So he had that tweet, obviously, come there, it is going to be wild, all this stuff about the election leading up to it, stirring people up, and then in the middle of knowing that his vice president was in the middle of here, that the Capitol was occupied, he sat there angry and said, Vice President Mike Pence betrayed us, knowing dang well that he was in danger. And then, at the end of the day, I think it was his last tweet ever. Mercifully, he said, these are the things and events that happen when an election is stolen from people like you. Remember this day forever. He’s making the day a martyr, he’s making his cause a martyr, and it is absolutely chilling. It is the things you see in places like Libya and countries that have dictatorships or had dictatorships.”

Keilar said, “Is that the direct link to you?”

Kinzinger said, “No, look, I’m just saying from my perspective, the president knew exactly what he was doing. In terms of specifics with extremist groups, we put out some information. There is more to come. I’m talking about the president’s role on January 6th. That’s what matters to me.”

Follow Pam Key on Twitter @pamkeyNEN