Former Deputy National Security Adviser Matthew Pottinger will testify in person during the hearing on Thursday, January 6, at prime time, a source familiar with the committee’s plans told Axios.
Why it matters: Pottinger is an important witness that the committee must show. He is highly respected on both sides of the aisle and worked for former President Trump from the start of his administration until Pottinger resigned immediately after the Capitol riot.
Between the lines: Pottinger was not in the oval office or around Trump on January 6, 2021, but he is an extremely credible witness and a former member of the highest echelons of the Trump administration.
- As detailed by Jonathan Swan of Axios in his series Off the Rails last year, which documented the outcome of recent weeks in charge of Trump, Pottinger immediately packed his belongings and resigned after ‘learn of the escalation of the attack on the Capitol.
The backdrop: Pottinger, a former journalist, was incorporated into Trump’s National Security Council by former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn.
- He was the architect of many of Trump’s tough policies with China.
- His testimony cannot be taken lightly or easily dismissed by those at Trumpworld.
What to see: Former Undersecretary of Press Sarah Matthews, who also resigned Jan. 6, will appear alongside Pottinger at Thursday’s hearing, the source said.
- Since then, Matthews has criticized Trump for his January 6 handling and was one of the few former White House officials to defend Cassidy Hutchinson, a former aide to then-chief of staff Mark Meadows, from attacks on the his credibility after having made a convicting testimony. before the commission last month.