The committee's difficulty in determining who Donald Trump spoke with - and when - stems from his unusual phone habits while in office. According to several former administration sources, the former president frequently used other people's phones or multiple phones of his own, which he rotated in and out of use to communicate with his supporters - and even family members.
The former president's behavior was attributed to an aversion to anyone listening in on his conversations, something that is difficult for a president to prevent if he calls from a desk phone in the White House. As a result, he would regularly use a nearby aide's or even a Secret Service agent's phone to make calls.
Donald Trump Used a Secret Service Agent's Phone
According to a source familiar with the situation, Trump was on the golf course trying to call his wife, Melania Trump, from his phone after the Stormy Daniels news broke in 2018, but she did not answer.
Instead, he turned to a Secret Service agent and tried to contact her using the agent's phone. After then, the first lady picked up. According to this source, the agent was not happy that his phone had been exploited in this manner, as per CNN.
Two people familiar with the investigation said the White House call logs obtained so far by the House panel investigating the Jan. 6, 2021 insurgency at the Capitol do not list calls made by then-President Donald Trump as he watched the violence unfold on television, nor do they list calls made directly to the president.
There is a new challenge for investigators as they work to compile the most comprehensive record of the attack yet, with a particular focus on what the former president was doing in the White House as hundreds of his supporters violently beat cops, broke into the Capitol, and disrupted President Joe Biden's victory ceremony in the Capitol.
To discuss documents that the committee has not yet published, the persons were given anonymity. Omissions in the documents, such as discussions Trump had on Jan. 6 with several Republican congressmen, may be explained in various ways.
In the past, Trump has been known to use a personal mobile phone, but he may have once been given to him by an adviser. The committee might obtain further information by receiving records from the National Archives and other sources.
After boxes of presidential papers were discovered at Trump's Florida residence, a second House committee said Thursday that it is investigating whether Trump violated the Presidential Records Act, WLWT5 reported.
Read Also : Joe Biden Says Senate Nearly Passing Huge Spending Bill Despite US inflation Rate Climbs to 7.5%
Jan.6 commission seeks talks between Trump's aides, National Archives
In many circumstances, the committee may not require formal confirmation of Trump's calls from the White House. More than 500 witnesses have already been examined by lawmakers, including numerous members of Trump's closest circle who may be able to fill in the gaps. Some of them have refused to answer questions as a result of the former president's assertions of executive privilege over his personal discussions, which have impeded them.
The committee wants to hear from the National Archives and Trump's advisors about the boxes that have gone missing, as well as information on what they could have contained. Maloney wrote to David Ferriero, the National Archives' archivist, asking for information on 15 boxes of papers that were seized from Trump's Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida.
The Presidential Records Act requires that a current president's and his staff's records be kept in the archives, and after a term, an outgoing president is responsible for turning over materials to the National Archives. In a case determined by the US Supreme Court, Trump attempted and failed to hide White House records from the Jan. 6 committee.
The National Archives provided for the transportation from Mar-a-Lago of boxes containing Presidential Records in conformity with the Presidential Records Act, according to KETV7.
Related Article : Investigators Find Gaps in Trump's Jan. 6 White House Call Logs During Capitol Riot
