Donald Trump “rushed to complete his unfinished business” in the days after the 2020 presidential election because he knew he had lost, the January 6 committee said on Thursday.
The committee alleged that a set of rushed orders were proof that the former president knew he would be leaving office, despite his public protestations to the contrary.
The committee said Mr Trump hastily drew up an order to immediately withdraw all US troops from Afghanistan and Somalia on November 11, which was to be completed before his opponent Joe Biden was to take office in January.
“Knowing he had lost and that he had only weeks left in office, president Trump rushed to complete his unfinished business,” said Republican committee member, congressman Adam Kinzinger.
“One key example is this: President Trump issued an order for large scale US troop withdrawals, he disregarded concerns about the consequences for fragile governments on the frontlines of the fight against ISIS and al Qaeda terrorists,” Mr Kinzinger said.
“Knowing he was leaving office, he acted immediately and signed this order on November 11, which would have required the immediate withdrawal of troops from Somalia and Afghanistan, all to be complete before the Biden inauguration on January 20.”
The committee then played video testimony from Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley, who called the order “odd,” and “non-standard.”
“It is potentially dangerous. I personally thought it was militarily not feasible nor wise,” he added.
General Keith Kellogg, former Vice President Mike Pence’s national security advisor, said in video testimony to the committee that an order for an immediate withdrawal would have been “catastrophic” had it been carried out.
Gen Milley testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee in September 2021 that he had received an "unclassified signed order" from former Mr Trump on November 11, 202 to withdraw all troops by January 15, which is just five days before Mr Trump would have been due to leave office.
The order was rescinded after further discussions, Gen Milley added.
