Trump's 'coup'

Capitol Hill riots inquiry, Ex-president 'lit flame'

- RACHEL WEARMOUTH

DONALD Trump “lit the flame” of last year’s Capitol Hill riot in an attempted coup, a congressional investigation has heard.

Liz Cheney, the Republican vice-chair of the committee, said the former US President assembled the mob and told them “the election was stolen”.

As the hearing opened, it included an unseen 12-minute video of the riot and testimony by Mr Trump’s inner circle.

The panel said the former president’s lies about election fraud and his efforts to stop Joe Biden’s 2020 victory led to the attack and put US democracy in danger.

Chairman Bennie Thompson said the deadly violence was not an accident.

He added: “January 6 was the culmination of an attempted coup, a brazen attempt, as one rioter put it, to overthrow the government.”

Footage was also aired of testimony by former US Attorney General Bill Barr, saying he had repeatedly told Mr Trump his claims of fraud were wrong.