Opinion | The President Who Stood Nonetheless on Jan. 6

All of MAGA world was texting Chief of Workers

Mark Meadows

that Mr. Trump wanted to name off his supporters. White Home Counsel

Pat Cipollone

testified that he argued internally “there must be a public announcement, quick, that they should depart the Capitol.” He added that Mr. Meadows joined these calls all through the day, as did

Ivanka Trump.

By 2:13 the Capitol was breached. The committee performed radio site visitors from Vice President

Mike Pence’s

safety element. “I’ve acquired public about 5 toes from me down right here under,” one voice mentioned. One other warned: “If we lose any extra time, we could lose the flexibility to depart.”

At 2:24 Mr. Trump issued his tweet saying Mr. Pence “didn’t have the braveness” to cease the electoral depend. The VP was evacuated from a Capitol workplace at 2:26, based on the committee. What if that route had been blocked? Would the mob have harmed Mr. Pence? Would the Secret Service have opened hearth?

At 2:38 Mr. Trump tweeted: “Please assist our Capitol Police and Regulation Enforcement. They’re actually on the facet of our Nation. Keep peaceable!”

Sarah Matthews,

a White Home communications aide, didn’t assume Mr. Trump was doing sufficient, and she or he recounted a dialog with Press Secretary

Kayleigh McEnany.

“She appeared straight at me and, in a hushed tone, shared with me that the President didn’t wish to embody any form of point out of ‘peace,’ in that tweet,” Ms. Matthews mentioned. “It took some convincing on their half, those that had been within the room.” The group tried to search out some language Mr. Trump would consent to submit, and “it wasn’t till Ivanka Trump instructed the phrase ‘keep peaceable’ that he lastly agreed to incorporate it.”

How did rioters react to the tweet concerning the Capitol police? The committee performed what it mentioned was radio chatter by Oath Keepers. “He didn’t say to not do something to the Congressmen,” one voice chuckled. One other added: “Effectively, he didn’t ask them to face down.” Not till 4:17 did Mr. Trump submit a video telling rioters to go dwelling, whereas justifying their actions, since “this was a fraudulent election.”

The committee’s critics are proper that it lacks political steadiness. It’s attempting to make a felony case that could be exhausting to show and may tear the nation aside. It undermines its argument by not releasing full transcripts of testimony. Why depend on what Ms. Matthews mentioned that Ms. McEnany mentioned that Mr. Trump mentioned? The committee interviewed Ms. McEnany.

Nonetheless, the brute information stay: Mr. Trump took an oath to defend the Structure, and he had an obligation as Commander in Chief to guard the Capitol from a mob attacking it in his title. He refused. He didn’t name the army to ship assist. He didn’t name Mr. Pence to test on the security of his loyal VP. As a substitute he fed the mob’s anger and let the riot play out.

Within the 18 months since, Mr. Trump has proven not an iota of remorse. On Thursday he claimed to be vindicated by a invoice to make clear the Electoral Rely Act. “Mike Pence informed me, and everyone else, there was nothing he may do,” Mr. Trump wrote. “If that’s the case, how come the Democrats and RINOs are working so exhausting to verify there may be nothing a VP can do.”

Character is revealed in a disaster, and Mr. Pence handed his Jan. 6 trial. Mr. Trump totally failed his.