After initially stammering during a select committee hearing in July and claiming to not recall if he spoke to Donald Trump during the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol building, Ohio Congressman Jim Jordan has finally confirmed that he spoke to the former president “more than once” after being evacuated to a safe room.
Jordan confirmed the Trump calls to Politico but he said he’d “have to think about it” when asked to corroborate sources who claim fellow Republican Matt Gaetz was also involved in conversations with the former president:
“Look, I definitely spoke to the president that day. I don’t recall — I know it was more than once, I just don’t recall the times,” Jordan told our Olivia Beavers. He later said that “I’m sure” one of the Trump-involved calls took place in the safe room “because we were in that room forever.” (For safety reasons, we are not disclosing the specific room where members were evacuated to, but that is the room Jordan is referencing.) Jordan would not get into the specifics of what he discussed with the president, though he said that like everyone, he wanted the National Guard to get involved.
Jordan’s admission is notable considering his prior testimony to Congress that he couldn’t remember what time of the day he had spoken to Trump on January 6. There was also a considerable amount of backlash from Republicans after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi didn’t pick Jordan to serve on the select committee because he was a “material witness.” That characterization appears to be holding up.
As for Jordan suddenly remembering that, OK, he did call Trump a bunch of times during the historic assault on the Capitol building, the Ohio congressman is getting roasted on social media for looking suspicious as hell.
It took Jim Jordan 8 months to recall he spoke to Trump multiple times on January 6th. That’s suspicious AF.
— Mr. Newberger (@jeremynewberger) August 30, 2021
Speaker Pelosi kicked jim jordan off the Jan. 6 select Committee and jordan is proving every day that she was right to do it.
— Covie (@covie_93) August 30, 2021
Jim Jordan keeps changing his story about January 6th and promising us that THIS time, he’s telling the whole truth.
We’re not buying it, @Jim_Jordan.
— Jeff Sites for Congress (@Sites4Congress) August 30, 2021
Jim Jordan and Matt Gaetz were both in touch with the former guy on January 6th during the insurrection and must be stripped of any and all committee appointments NOW.
Then expel them from Congress.
— BrooklynDad_Defiant! (@mmpadellan) August 30, 2021
Jim Jordan, Matt Gaetz, Kevin McCarthy all spoke to Trump during the Jan 6th attack. Bring all their asses in to testify.
— Amy Lynn (@AmyAThatcher) August 30, 2021
So either Jim Jordan was calling Trump multiple times on Jan 6th to coordinate the overthrow of the US Government or he was calling him to have the angry mob he incited stand down.
— Tim Hannan (@TimHannan) August 30, 2021
I’m confused, if Trump had nothing to do with the January insurrection, why did Jim Jordan and Matt Gaetz know to call him to get HIS supporters to stand down…
— Stu Cameron (@stucam7771) August 30, 2021
One takeaway from Jim Jordan and Matt Gaetz calling and begging Trump to tell the rioters to stand down on Jan 6 is that they apparently believed Trump had full control over Antifa.
— George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) August 29, 2021
(Via Politico)