January 6 investigation: six takeaways from the hearings

From Secret Service agents saying goodbye to their families to claims Trump did nothing to stop the violence, here are the latest updates

'There will come a day when Donald Trump is gone, but your dishonour will remain.' Congresswoman and January 6 committee vice chairwoman Liz Cheney to Republican colleagues who have defended Mr Trump's claims of election fraud. AFP

'January 6 was the culmination of an attempted coup - a brazen attempt, as one rioter put it shortly after January 6 - to overthrow the government.' Committee chairman Bennie Thompson. EPA

Mr Trump 'was willing to sacrifice our republic to prolong his presidency. I can imagine no more dishonourable acts by a president.' Republican Congressman Adam Kinzinger. AFP

Donald Trump had this 'arsenal of allegations. I went through them piece by piece to say, no, they were not true'. Former acting deputy attorney general Richard Donoghue. EPA

'There were no votes to find.' Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger after Donald Trump asked him and his deputy, Gabriel Sterling, to 'find 11,780' votes that could flip Georgia in the president's favour. AFP

Competing against Donald Trump’s lies was like a 'shovel trying to empty the ocean'. Gabriel Sterling, Georgia Secretary of State chief operating officer. AFP

'As an American, I was disgusted. It was unpatriotic, it was un-American. We were watching the Capitol building get defaced over a lie.' Cassidy Hutchinson, an aide to then White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, speaking about the insurrection. AFP

'I told him [Donald Trump] that the stuff his people were shovelling out to the public was bull***t.' Former attorney general William Barr. AP

'I respect attorney general Barr. So, I accepted what he was saying.' Ivanka Trump, former White House senior adviser. AP

'We fight like hell. And if you don't fight like hell, you're not going to have a country any more.' Donald Trump on January 6, 2021. Reuters

A Confederate battle flag that reads 'Come and Take It' and shows a military-style rifle flies as rioters storm the Capitol on January 6, 2001. Reuters

A Trump supporter sprays smoke. Reuters

Police attempt to push the mob back. AFP

The pro-Trump mob swarms the Capitol as police release tear gas. Reuters

Protesters clash with police. Reuters

Pro-Trump protesters storm into the US Capitol. Reuters

A police flash-bang blast lights up the Capitol. Reuters

Before the insurrection, Mr Trump is seen on a screen speaking to supporters during a rally to contest the certification of the 2020 US presidential election results. Reuters

People march with those who say they are members of the Proud Boys as they attend a rally in Washington in support of former president Donald Trump. AP

Thursday's congressional committee hearing into the January 6 US Capitol riot by supporters of Donald Trump featured minute-by-minute accountings of the former president's actions ― and inaction ― as his supporters launched a violent attack.

Here are six takeaways from the hearing:

Hawley raises fist, then runs:

The committee showed a well-known image of conservative Republican Senator Josh Hawley, who is thought to be considering running for president, outside the Capitol raising his arm, hand balled into a fist, to encourage the gathering angry crowds still being held behind security lines.

While that image was familiar, indeed one that Mr Hawley has used to raise money, the committee followed up with new images: several video clips of Mr Hawley running from the rioters, first fleeing across a hallway and later down a flight of steps.

The hearing room, packed with reporters, congressional aides, security staff and visitors broke into laughter as the footage was played.

Saying goodbye to families:

Vice President Mike Pence sheltered in his ceremonial office on the second floor of the Senate as rioters pushed closer and closer, as seen in videos shown at the hearing.

There was smoke in a nearby hallway as US Capitol Police tried to corral a group of attackers, and Secret Service agents desperately tried to figure out whether they could safely move Mr Pence to another location on the Capitol grounds.

“The security detail of the vice president was starting to fear for their own lives,” one White House security official testified on video played at the hearing.

Rioters were a few feet away, the official testified, with agents “screaming and saying goodbye to family”.

Mr Pence was, ultimately, hurried to a Capitol loading dock.

January 6 'emboldened' US adversaries:

Matthew Pottinger, a deputy national security adviser under Mr Trump, testified that the riot not only resulted in US allies voicing concern “about the health of our democracy,” but also gave comfort to America's adversaries.

“I think it emboldened our enemies by helping give them ammunition to feed a narrative that our system of government doesn't work; that the United States is in decline,” Mr Pottinger said.

Even before January 6, as Mr Trump falsely claimed the presidential election was stolen from him, Mr Pottinger said he feared Washington's adversaries would be tempted to test US resolve, noting an attack in late December on the US embassy in Baghdad by Iraqi militias he said were backed by Iran.

High-profile hearings far from over:

Committee chairman Bennie Thompson said the investigation was continuing as more people had offered to come forward as witnesses.

Mr Thompson tamped down speculation that this eighth hearing of the summer may be the last, saying more hearings are in store in September, a few weeks before the November 8 midterm elections that will decide whether Republicans take majority control of the Senate or House of Representatives.

Mr Trump 'chose' not to stop the riot:

Representative Adam Kinzinger, one of two Republicans on the House's select committee, portrayed a president who was satisfied with the violence he watched unfolding at the Capitol on January 6.

“The mob was accomplishing President Trump's purpose, so of course, he didn't intervene” to stop the violence until more than three hours after it had begun, Kinzinger said.

“President Trump did not fail to act during the 187 minutes between leaving the Ellipse and telling the mob to go home. He chose not to act.”

Trump made no calls to top officials:

High-ranking officials, including Pat Cipollone, White House Counsel at the time, gave evidence on pre-recorded messages that Mr Trump watched television for hours in the White House dining room during the Capitol riot.

They said that they were not aware of Mr Trump making phone calls to Cabinet officials, including the secretaries of defence and homeland security, the attorney general or the National Guard, all of whom could have aided in stopping the violence on Capitol Hill.