COLD-BLOODED

Jan. 6 Investigator: Trump Knew Capitol Had Been Stormed When He Sent Infamous Pence Tweet

Pence was “one window pane away” from the mob when Trump hit send on a tweet that fanned the fire, Rep. Pete Aguilar (D-CA) told NBC News.

According to one member of the House Committee investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection, Donald Trump intentionally wrote a tweet disparaging Mike Pence after he learned of the Capitol breach. Meanwhile, Pence was holed up in a nearby room after being ushered off the Senate floor and then evacuated, new photos obtained by ABC confirm. Rep. Pete Aguilar (D-CA) told NBC News the Capitol was breached at 2:13 p.m., but the tweet was sent at 2:24 p.m. He said Pence was “one window pane away from the mob” when Trump pressed send on the tweet after he “knew that there was violence.” The now-infamous tweet said Pence “didn’t have the courage to do what was necessary” to overturn Joe Biden’s legitimate win. A source told ABC that, as Pence was holed up, his wife Karen closed the curtains so potential attackers couldn’t see her and her family. Aguilar said Trump’s tweet was “the point at which the president pointed, you know, to the mob and said it’s the vice president’s fault.”