Updated Jul 21, 2022 - Politics & Policy

White House phone logs, daily diary empty while Capitol was under attack, panel reveals

Erin Doherty

Sarah Matthews and Matthew Pottinger testify before the House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6 attack. Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images

The Jan. 6 panel revealed Thursday in its prime-time public hearing that the White House phone logs and presidential daily diary were left blank during the "critical period" when the Capitol was under attack.

Driving the news: "As you can see, there is no official record of President Trump receiving or placing a call between 11:06am and 6:54pm," Rep. Elaine Luria (D-Va.) said, showing the presidential log on screen during the hearing.

The chief White House photographer also told the committee that she was denied access to Trump from 1:25pm to 4pm, while Trump was in the White House dining room, where he watched Fox News for more than two and a half hours, Luria said.
"The chief White House photographer wanted to take pictures because it was, in her words, 'very important for his archives and for history.' But she was told, 'no photographs,'" Luria said.
Former White House Counsel Pat Cipollone, in videotaped testimony, said that he knew of no phone calls to the Department of Defense, Department of Justice or any other agency during this time.

The big picture: "Within 15 minutes of leaving the stage, President Trump knew that the Capitol was besieged and under attack," Luria said.

Go deeper... 187 minutes: Jan. 6 hearing to show Trump's deliberate inaction

Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional details.

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White House phone logs, daily diary empty while Capitol was under attack, panel reveals

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