Former President Donald Trump’s Chief of Staff, Mark Meadows, has been subpoenaed by investigators looking into the January 6 Capitol riots. Special Counsel Jack Smith is seeking documents and testimony from Meadows in relation to Trump’s involvement on January 6, efforts to overturn the 2020 election, and the classified documents Trump housed at Mar-a-Lago and refused to give to the national archives.
Meadows was one of Trump’s designees to the National Archives, giving him an inside look into the handling of classified documents. He was also chief of staff on January 6, allowing insight into Trump’s directions during the Capitol riot. Neither Meadows’ attorneys nor the Justice Department have confirmed the news, however it follows the Justice Department’s subpoena of former Vice President Mike Pence.
Meadows has attempted to invoke executive privilege to fight the subpoena, as he did in a special grand jury in Georgia. However, the judge found him “material and necessary to the investigation.” The subpoena of Meadows likely sets up a dramatic legal showdown between the Justice Department and the former President’s inner circle.