Special Poll
Former Trump Chief of Staff Mark Meadows Testified Before Grand Jury, Told Investigators Trump Was Being ‘Dishonest’ About 2020 Election
Mark Meadows, the final chief of staff under President Donald Trump, testified before a federal grand jury in Washington, D.C., this year as part of special counsel Jack Smith’s investigation into the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol and Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election results.
According to sources familiar with the matter, Meadows told Smith’s team that he repeatedly told Trump in the weeks after the 2020 election that the allegations of significant voting fraud coming to them were baseless. Meadows also told investigators that Trump was being “dishonest” with the public when he first claimed to have won the election only hours after polls closed on November 3, 2020, before final results were in.
“Obviously we didn’t win,” a source quoted Meadows as telling Smith’s team in hindsight.
Meadows’ testimony is significant because it comes from one of Trump’s closest and highest-ranking aides in the White House. It also provides further evidence that Trump and his allies knew that their claims of widespread voter fraud were false, but continued to make them anyway in an effort to overturn the election results.
The sources also said that Meadows informed Smith’s team that he had spoken to the special counsel’s team at least three times this year, including once before the grand jury. Smith granted Meadows immunity to testify under oath, according to the sources.
Smith’s investigation is still ongoing, but it is clear that he is focused on gathering evidence to support charges against Trump for alleged criminal activity related to the 2020 election. Meadows’ testimony is a major step forward in that investigation.
In addition to Meadows’ testimony, Smith’s team is also reportedly interested in questioning other Trump loyalists about their role in the January 6th attack and Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election results. These witnesses include former White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany, former Trump adviser Steve Bannon, and former Trump campaign manager Rudy Giuliani.
It is still too early to say whether Smith will ultimately charge Trump with any crimes. However, the fact that he is granting immunity to witnesses and gathering evidence from Trump’s inner circle suggests that he is taking his investigation very seriously.
Analysis
Meadows’ testimony is a major blow to Trump and his efforts to overturn the 2020 election results. It also provides corroboration for the testimony of other witnesses, such as former Attorney General William Barr and former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson, who have also testified that Trump was told that his claims of widespread voter fraud were false.
Meadows’ testimony is also a sign that Smith’s investigation is moving forward and that he is serious about gathering evidence against Trump. The fact that Smith is granting immunity to witnesses and questioning Trump’s inner circle suggests that he is confident that he can build a strong case against the former president.
If Smith does ultimately charge Trump with any crimes, it would be a major development in the investigation into the January 6th attack and Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election results. It would also be a significant test of the rule of law in the United States.