Former Trump White House adviser and first daughter Ivanka Trump emerged as one of the key figures in the House panel’s probe into the January 6 insurrection. With Ms. Trump’s non-appearance to voluntarily testify before the panel, the committee is considering serving the former first daughter with a subpoena to do so.
The Guardian reports that the congressional committee investigating the riots is considering serving Ms. Trump with a subpoena to testify, according to people familiar with the matter. Such a move to force a testimony out of the former president’s innermost circle like his family members would indicate a significant escalation into the probe that may lead to another legal challenge against Donald Trump.
The person familiar with the matter said that the committee will not serve a subpoena to the former White House adviser for now, with the notion to subpoena having come up in discussions among the committee’s members. The panel has looked into other options available to get Ms. Trump’s testimony when she refused to appear before the panel for an interview.
Nevertheless, the fact that the panel’s members have talked about a subpoena would suggest that they may ultimately take such a step. Should Ms. Trump defy the subpoena, she may be subject to a criminal referral to the DOJ. Still, the panel wants to grant the former White House adviser a window of opportunity to engage with the probe until they ultimately force her to cooperate.
Chair Bennie Thompson will likely inform House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of the decision before the panel formally issues a subpoena to Ms. Trump, said the source.
The fact that Ms. Trump has emerged as a key figure in the committee’s investigation is a sign that the probe has reached a critical point, according to the hosts of MSNBC show “Morning Joe.” Host Joe Scarborough explained the recent developments, including the request for Ms. Trump to voluntarily testify means that the investigation has reached an inflection point.
Scarborough cited the Supreme Court’s ruling that the committee has the right to access the records of the Trump White House, including testimonies from former Trump administration officials. Scarborough added that the developments mean that all the pieces are coming together to determine what happened in the days before, during, and after the insurrection.