Mary Trump attributes her cousin Donald Trump Jr.’s texts during the U.S. Capitol riot to then-White House chief of staff Mark Meadows to one thing: “cowardice.”
Trump Jr. was among multiple conservative figures who pleaded with Meadows to get then-President Donald Trump to call off the violence from his supporters, according to text messages released Monday by the House select committee investigating the insurrection.
“He’s got to condemn this shit ASAP. The Capitol Police tweet is not enough,” Trump Jr. wrote to Meadows.
“I’m pushing it hard,” Meadows replied. “I agree.”
“We need an Oval Office address. He has to lead now,” Trump Jr. continued. “It has gone too far and gotten out of hand.”
MSNBC’s Lawrence O’Donnell asked Mary Trump why Trump Jr. texted Meadows and not his own father.
“I wish that the answer you had given was the right one ― caller ID,” she cracked in response. “But in this particular instance, it’s simply cowardice, because Donny knew that the message he was delivering was the message his father did not want to hear.”
Mary Trump predicted her uncle will lash out at the release of the messages. But his inner circle has “become so small” there may not be anyone left for him to fire, she noted.
Watch the interview here: