Ivanka Trump testifies to Capitol riot committee

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Former White House adviser Ivanka Trump testified for hours on Tuesday to the congressional committee investigating the 6 January attack on the US Capitol.

Ms Trump, 40, was asked for her account of her father’s activities as the crisis unfolded.

She was one of several aides said to have tried to convince the president to condemn the violence.

Her appearance comes days after her husband Jared Kushner, also an ex-White House adviser, met investigators.

The questioning lasted up to eight hours, US media reports. Unlike other witnesses called before the committee, Ms Trump never attempted to invoke her right to remain silent, according to the panel’s top chairman.

“She’s answering questions,” congressman Bennie Thompson said. “Not in a broad, chatty term, but she’s answering questions.”

The committee has also subpoenaed White House records of Mr Trump’s meetings and actions on 6 January, but documents acquired by BBC media partner CBS News show no presidential contacts for more than seven hours, as the battle in the Capitol was at its most intense.

That runs counter to multiple reports of presidential phone calls to Republicans in the US Capitol, including a heated conversation with House minority leader Kevin McCarthy. Ms Trump could shed light on the methods her father used communicate that day.

One Democratic member of the committee described Mr Kushner’s testimony as “helpful” in reconstructing the events of the day.

As with Mr Kushner and the more than 800 other individuals called by the committee, Ms Trump’s testimony has taken place in private. Public hearings are expected in May.    BY THE STAR   

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