we start with the bombshell new details in the justice department s investigation into the capitol attack. nbc news confirming with an administration official that the doj has been asking questions about former president trump s actions leading up to january 6. the official adds there is not a criminal investigation of mr. trump himself. nbc news reached out to a trump spokesperson for comment. the doj is not officially commenting on the story but in an exclusive interview with lester holt attorney general garland states that no one is above the law. we will hold accountable anyone criminally responsible attempting to block the peaceful transfer of power. that conversation between merrick garland and lester holt. we want to bring in pete williams, charlie savage, chuck rosenberg. we have a great group to get us started. pete, confirming the questions asked related to donald trump s actions on that day and leading up to that day. what specifically do we know? what is the f
those crucial new details about the justice department s investigation of the january 6th attack. the washington post with this headline that s getting a ton of attention this morning, the justice department now investigating trump s actions in its criminal probe. the story even revealing intimate details from that highly secretive federal grand jury, saying, quote, prosecutors have asked hours of detailed questions about meetings trump led in december 2020 and january 2021, his pressure campaign on pence to overturn the election and what instructions trump gave his lawyers and advisers about fake electors and sending electors back to the states. that s according to four people familiar with the matter. nbc news, by the way, confirms from an administration official the doj is investigating trump s actions as part of its january 6th probe but clarifies that that does not necessarily mean it is open to criminal investigation into the former president himself. so let s get rig
comes amid new reporting that federal prosecutors have zeroed in now on donald trump s efforts to overturn the 2020 election, focusing on the man himself. the attorney general saying anyone who tried to interfere with the peaceful transfer of power will be held accountable, that includes, he said, a former president or a candidate. trump meanwhile returned to washington for the first time since leaving office. and dropped several more hints about whether he may run in 2024. as he and mike pence held dueling speeches in washington about the future of the republican party. good morning, welcome to morning joe. it s wednesday, july 27th. i m willie geist, we the host of way too early and host of the politico, jonathan lemire and the author of the book the big lie and mike barnicle and katty kay. morning, i want to begin with the investigation to overturn the 2020 election. four people familiar with the matter telling the washington post federal prosecutors have now turne
i m erin burnett. outfront tonight caught in a lie. new video from the january 6th select committee, sworn testimony from trump s acting defense secretary chris miller contradicts a statement from president trump. he said he personally asked for 20,000 national guard troops to be at the ready ahead of january 6th. this is what the defense secretary told the committee exactly happened. to be crystal clear there was no direct order from president trump to put 20,000 troops on the ready for january 6th, correct? you re correct. there was no order from the president. that shutting down a statement from trump who on june 9th said the unselect committee learned that i as president offered up to 20,000 national guard troops be deployed in d.c. because it was felt the crowd was going to be very large. well, you heard the secretary of defense say he did no such thing. whether 10 or 20,000, he never ordered any. this blatant lie exposed as we learn more from attorney general me
mike pence have asked in recent days about conversations with ump from, his lawyers and others in his inner circle who sought to substitute trump allies for certified electors from some states joe biden won. that s according to two people familiar with the matter, both spoke anonymously. prosecutors asked hours of detailed questions about meetings trump led in december 2020 and january 2021. his pressure campaign on pence to overturn the election and what instructions trump gave his lawyers and advisors about fake electors and sending electors back to the states. some of the questions focused directly on the extent of trump s involvement in this fake electorate effort led by outside lawyers including eastman and rudy giuliani and yet another sign of just how far the doj probe has advanced, the post is also reporting that prosecutors have their hands on the phone records of some key trump officials and aides including those of former white house chief of staff mark meadows. of