Donald Trump’s ex-chief of staff Mark Meadows ends cooperation with US Capitol attack probe

The former presidential aide earlier reached a deal to share information with investigators, but now refuses to appear for deposition

Lawmakers have subpoenaed a number of Trump’s allies as they look into the events of January 6

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Then White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows speaks to reporters in Washington in October. Photo: Reuters

Published: 1:02am, 8 Dec 2021Updated: 1:31am, 8 Dec 2021

Donald Trump’s former chief of staff has ended his cooperation with the congressional committee investigating the January 6 assault on the US Capitol by supporters of the former president, his lawyer said on Tuesday.

Mark Meadows, who failed to appear before the panel last month, is seen as a key witness to Trump’s role in efforts to stop the certification of President Joe Biden’s election win.

Meadows had initially snubbed a subpoena to testify before the House panel, setting up possible contempt charges, before reaching an agreement on sharing information with investigators.

“Now actions by the select committee have made such an appearance untenable,” Meadows’ lawyer, George Terwilliger, said in a new letter to the committee circulated among US media.

Trump supporters storm the grounds of the US Capitol in January. Photo: EPA-EFE

The lawyer said Meadows’ change of mind had come after he learned over the weekend that the committee had “issued wide-ranging subpoenas for information from a third party communications provider”.

“In short, we now have every indication from the information supplied to us last Friday – upon which Mr Meadows could expect to be questioned – that the select committee has no intention of respecting boundaries concerning executive privilege,” Terwillinger added.