Crash Course: Cassidy Hutchinson's surprise Jan. 6 testimony exposes the violence that fuels Trumpism

Trump imagined himself as the head of a barbaric mob — and lashed out physically when he didn't get his way. Your daily update from [Salon](~/AASU4wA~/RgRknrXCP0QWaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tL1cDc3BjQgpis8MwvGJSIToJUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~). [Cassidy-Hutchinson] STEFANI REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images Cassidy Hutchinson's surprise Jan. 6 testimony exposes the violence that fuels Trumpism The skeptics were wrong. Cassidy Hutchinson had plenty to tell, and the main takeaway is so wild it would be hard to believe if it were any other president: There was a mind-meld between Trump and his minions who stormed the Capitol on January 6, based largely on their shared enthusiasm for violence. As Hutchinson laid out, Trump was not only aware that many in the rally crowd were heavily armed, he seemed to be counting on it. He got angry with the Secret Service for not letting people with AR-15s and body armor clamor to his side during the rally, saying, according to Hutchinson, "I don't fucking care that they have weapons. They're not here to hurt me." He demanded that the armed thugs that support him "march to the Capitol from here." Trump knew they were armed. Yet he directed his supporters to the Capitol on Jan. 6. He then repeatedly insisted on being the head of the mob. When Secret Service wouldn't let him, he yelled, "I'm the f-ing president! Take me up to the Capitol now!" and physically attacked the agent driving the car in an attempt to grab the wheel. Tuesday's hearing also underscored some of the political and legal problems around dealing with Trump's stochastic terrorism. It may be that Trump never directly conspired with the Proud Boys and Oathkeepers and other right-wing militias to storm the Capitol that day. He didn't need to. He's spent years using public forums to signal his shared affinity for violence with these groups, even going so far as to [tell the Proud Boys to "stand by"Â](~/AASU4wA~/RgRknrXCP0R_aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjAvMDkvMzAvd2VyZS1yZWFkeXdoaXRlLXN1cHJlbWFjaXN0LXByb3VkLWJveXMtYWN0aXZhdGVkLWFmdGVyLXByZXNpZGVudC10cnVtcC10ZWxscy10aGVtLXRvLXN0YW5kLWJ5L1cDc3BjQgpis8MwvGJSIToJUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~)during his presidential debate with Joe Biden. They understood what he wanted from them. He just needed to give them a time and a place, and that's exactly what he did. [Read more from Amanda Marcotte.](~/AASU4wA~/RgRknrXCP0R3aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDYvMjgvY2Fzc2lkeS1odXRjaGluc29ucy1zdXJwcmlzZS1qYW4tNi10ZXN0aW1vbnktZXhwb3Nlcy10aGUtdmlvbGVuY2UtdGhhdC1mdWVscy10cnVtcGlzbS9XA3NwY0IKYrPDMLxiUiE6CVIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) [Protesters-arrested] ALEX KENT/AFP via Getty Images Did violence follow Roe decision? Yes — almost all of it against pro-choice protesters Before the Supreme Court even announced its decision overturning Roe v. Wade last Friday, right-wing politicians and media had begun warning of a wave of violent demonstrations or riots by pro-choice protesters. Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Ariz., called on "all patriots" to defend local churches and crisis pregnancy centers, while Fox News hyped warnings about a "night" or "summer of rage" and various far-right activists — from the America First/groyper movement to the Proud Boys to a staffer for Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake — [issued threats](~/AASU4wA~/RgRknrXCP0R4aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDYvMjQvYW1pZC1hbGwtdGhlLWdsb2F0aW5nLWFudGktYWJvcnRpb24tcmlnaHQtZHJlYW1zLW9mLWJpZ2dlci13aW5zLS1hbmQtcG9zc2libGUtdmlvbGVuY2UvVwNzcGNCCmKzwzC8YlIhOglSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) against leftists they claimed were about to become violent. But it appears that most of the violence that occurred in response to the Roe decision this past weekend was directed at pro-choice demonstrators, not caused by them. On Friday night, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, a man [drove his pickup truck into a group of women protesters](~/AASU4wA~/RgRknrXCP0QzaHR0cHM6Ly90d2l0dGVyLmNvbS9seXpsL3N0YXR1cy8xNTQwNDk1MDY1Mzg2MzAzNDg4VwNzcGNCCmKzwzC8YlIhOglSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~), hitting several and driving over the ankle of one woman. That same night, at a pro-choice protest in Providence, Rhode Island, an off-duty police officer named Jeann Lugo — who, until this weekend, was a Republican candidate for state Senate — [punched](~/AASU4wA~/RgRknrXCP0Q6aHR0cHM6Ly90d2l0dGVyLmNvbS9KZW5Sb3Vya2UyOS9zdGF0dXMvMTU0MDcwMjMyMDkwNzkzNTc0NFcDc3BjQgpis8MwvGJSIToJUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) his Democratic opponent, reproductive rights organizer Jennifer Rourke, in the face. In several other states, police responded to demonstrations against the SCOTUS ruling with heavy-handed tactics and violence. [Read more from Kathryn Joyce.](~/AASU4wA~/RgRknrXCP0RraHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDYvMjgvZGlkLXZpb2xlbmNlLWZvbGxvdy1yb2UtZGVjaXNpb24teWVzLS1hbG1vc3QtYWxsLW9mLWl0LWFnYWluc3QtcHJvLWNob2ljZS9XA3NwY0IKYrPDMLxiUiE6CVIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) - [Christian fascism is right here, right now:](~/AASU4wA~/RgRknrXCP0RraHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDYvMjgvY2hyaXN0aWFuLWZhc2Npc20taXMtcmlnaHQtaGVyZS1yaWdodC1ub3ctYWZ0ZXItcm9lLWNhbi13ZS1maW5hbGx5LXNlZS1pdC9XA3NwY0IKYrPDMLxiUiE6CVIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) After Roe, can we finally see it? - Jan. 6 panel moved up hearing over [fear that Meadows aide is in danger](~/AASU4wA~/RgRknrXCP0SEaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDYvMjgvamFuLTYtcGFuZWwtbW92ZWQtdXAtaGVhcmluZy1vdmVyLWZlYXItdGhhdC1tZWFkb3dzLWFpZGUtaXMtaW4tZGFuZ2VyLWR1ZS10by13aGF0LXNoZS1rbm93cy1yZXBvcnQvVwNzcGNCCmKzwzC8YlIhOglSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) due to what she knows: report - [Sam Jay says just let comedy be "dangerous"](~/AASU4wA~/RgRknrXCP0R4aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDYvMjcvc2FtLWpheS1zYXlzLWp1c3QtbGV0LWNvbWVkeS1iZS1kYW5nZXJvdXMtLWxpa2Utb25lLXBhcnRpY3VsYXItc2x1ci10aGF0cy1tZWFuLWJ1dC1ub3QvVwNzcGNCCmKzwzC8YlIhOglSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) – like one particular slur that's "mean" but not racist - [Fox News host calls Trump "unhinged,"](~/AASU4wA~/RgRknrXCP0R2aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDYvMjgvZm94LW5ld3MtaG9zdC1jYWxscy11bmhpbmdlZC1zYXlzLWphbi02LXdhcy10aGUtd29yc3QtbW9tZW50LW9mLWhpcy1wb2xpdGljYWwtY2FyZWVyL1cDc3BjQgpis8MwvGJSIToJUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) says Jan. 6 was "the worst moment of" his political career - John Eastman [runs to Fox News to beg for donations](~/AASU4wA~/RgRknrXCP0RzaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDYvMjgvam9obi1lYXN0bWFuLXJ1bnMtdG8tZm94LW5ld3MtdG8tYmVnLWZvci1kb25hdGlvbnMtYWZ0ZXItYXZvaWRpbmctamFuLTYtdGVzdGltb255L1cDc3BjQgpis8MwvGJSIToJUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) after avoiding Jan. 6 testimony - [Clarence Thomas blames Americans](~/AASU4wA~/RgRknrXCP0RraHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDYvMjgvY2xhcmVuY2UtdGhvbWFzLWFtZXJpY2Fucy1mb3ItZXJvc2lvbnMtb2YtcmlnaHRzLXlvdS1wcm90ZWN0LXlvdXItbGliZXJ0eS9XA3NwY0IKYrPDMLxiUiE6CVIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) for Supreme Court's erosions of rights: "You protect your liberty" - "Smash capitalism" to "release your job," [what "Downton Abbey" & Beyoncé can teach us about progress](~/AASU4wA~/RgRknrXCP0REaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDYvMjgvZG93bnRvbi1hYmJleS1iZXlvbmNlLWVjb25vbXktam9icy9XA3NwY0IKYrPDMLxiUiE6CVIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) - GOP Senate candidate wants to take Supreme Court ruling on guns [a giant step further](~/AASU4wA~/RgRknrXCP0RfaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDYvMjcvc2VuYXRlLWNhbmRpZGF0ZS13YW50cy10by10YWtlLXJ1bGluZy1vbi1hLWdpYW50LXN0ZXAtZnVydGhlci9XA3NwY0IKYrPDMLxiUiE6CVIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) - Jodie Sweetin, the “Full House” star who became an activist, [pushed by LAPD at pro-choice protest](~/AASU4wA~/RgRknrXCP0RNaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDYvMjcvam9kaWUtc3dlZXRpbi1mdWxsLWxhcGQtYWJvcnRpb24tcHJvLWNob2ljZS9XA3NwY0IKYrPDMLxiUiE6CVIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) - [Daily Harvest faces its first lawsuit](~/AASU4wA~/RgRknrXCP0R0aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDYvMjgvZGFpbHktaGFydmVzdC1mYWNlcy1pdHMtZmlyc3QtZm9sbG93aW5nLXdpZGVzcHJlYWQtcmVjYWxsLW9mLWxlbnRpbC0tbGVlay1jcnVtYmxlcy9XA3NwY0IKYrPDMLxiUiE6CVIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) following widespread recall of Lentil + Leek crumbles - The [healing power of the peach](~/AASU4wA~/RgRknrXCP0RAaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDYvMjgvdGhlLWhlYWxpbmctcG93ZXItb2YtdGhlLXBlYWNoL1cDc3BjQgpis8MwvGJSIToJUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) Not a subscriber yet? [Sign up](~/AASU4wA~/RgRknrXCP0RVaHR0cHM6Ly9zYWxvbi51czgubGlzdC1tYW5hZ2UuY29tL3N1YnNjcmliZT91PTcxY2IzZThhNmU5NjM5YzgxMDIzY2Q0MjcmaWQ9NWRlZGEyYWFhN1cDc3BjQgpis8MwvGJSIToJUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) to receive Crash Course. [Trump] Salon/Getty Images "King Trump" dreams of a glorious return: It seems preposterous, but we laugh at our peril Trump's fundraising emails have become dangerously absurd. One recent example appears to describe Trump as a godlike authority with the power to confer "GREAT MAGA KING STATUS" on a fortunate few among his followers. It's too easy to dismiss such an email as buffoonish and ridiculous, or to declare that Trump's followers are "idiots" for responding to such a shameless grift. But that laughter and mockery are a form of defensive humor or contempt by liberals (and others) who are terrified of Trumpism and the larger American fascist movement. Fascists and authoritarians can often be buffoonish, and sometimes highly entertaining. That is part of their power and charm over their followers, especially if they wield "populism" as one of their primary weapons. [Adolf Hitler was described by a prominent magazine editor](~/AASU4wA~/RgRknrXCP0SXaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuaGFhcmV0ei5jb20vd29ybGQtbmV3cy8yMDE2LTEwLTI4L3R5LWFydGljbGUvdGhhbmtzLXRvLXRydW1wLXdlLWNhbi11bmRlcnN0YW5kLWhvdy1oaXRsZXItd2FzLXBvc3NpYmxlLzAwMDAwMTdmLWUxM2UtZDM4Zi1hNTdmLWU3N2UxYjQ3MDAwMFcDc3BjQgpis8MwvGJSIToJUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) in 1930 as a "big mouth," a "half-insane rascal," a "pathetic dunderhead" and a "nowhere fool." Donald Trump is a malignant narcissist and may be so mentally unwell that he actually believes that he is some type of king. Many of his followers are prepared to kill and die at his command, and a significant number believe that he is a divinely inspired ruler. [Read more from Chauncey DeVega.](~/AASU4wA~/RgRknrXCP0R4aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDYvMjgva2luZy10cnVtcC1kcmVhbXMtb2YtYS1nbG9yaW91cy1yZXR1cm4taXQtc2VlbXMtcHJlcG9zdGVyb3VzLWJ1dC13ZS1sYXVnaC1hdC1vdXItcGVyaWwvVwNzcGNCCmKzwzC8YlIhOglSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) - "The Constitution is Whatever the Right Wing Says It Is," [The Atlantic](~/AASU4wA~/RgRknrXCP0R-aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudGhlYXRsYW50aWMuY29tL2lkZWFzL2FyY2hpdmUvMjAyMi8wNi9yb2Utb3ZlcnR1cm5lZC1zdXByZW1lLWNvdXJ0LXNhbXVlbC1hbGl0by1vcGluaW9uLzY2MTM4Ni8_Y3VyYXRvcj1NZWRpYVJFREVGVwNzcGNCCmKzwzC8YlIhOglSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) - "We’re Not Going Back to the Time Before Roe. We’re Going Somewhere Worse," [The New Yorker](~/AASU4wA~/RgRknrXCP0R3aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubmV3eW9ya2VyLmNvbS9tYWdhemluZS8yMDIyLzA3LzA0L3dlLWFyZS1ub3QtZ29pbmctYmFjay10by10aGUtdGltZS1iZWZvcmUtcm9lLXdlLWFyZS1nb2luZy1zb21ld2hlcmUtd29yc2VXA3NwY0IKYrPDMLxiUiE6CVIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) - "Do we need a new theory of evolution?" [The Guardian](~/AASU4wA~/RgRknrXCP0RUaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudGhlZ3VhcmRpYW4uY29tL3NjaWVuY2UvMjAyMi9qdW4vMjgvZG8td2UtbmVlZC1hLW5ldy10aGVvcnktb2YtZXZvbHV0aW9uVwNzcGNCCmKzwzC8YlIhOglSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) - "Inside a Landlord Convention, Where Rent is Raised and Schemes Are Hatched," [Motherboard](~/AASU4wA~/RgRknrXCP0Q6aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudmljZS5jb20vZW4vYXJ0aWNsZS8zYWR6ZzgvYW1vbmctdGhlLWxhbmRsb3Jkc1cDc3BjQgpis8MwvGJSIToJUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) - "Schools Are Spending Billions on High-Tech Defense for Mass Shootings," [The New York Times](~/AASU4wA~/RgRknrXCP0RJaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMi8wNi8yNi9idXNpbmVzcy9zY2hvb2wtc2FmZXR5LXRlY2hub2xvZ3kuaHRtbFcDc3BjQgpis8MwvGJSIToJUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) - "With Roe v. Wade Overturned, Your Abortion Searches Could Be Used to Prosecute You," [CNET](~/AASU4wA~/RgRknrXCP0R0aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuY25ldC5jb20vbmV3cy9wb2xpdGljcy93aXRoLXJvZS12LXdhZGUtb3ZlcnR1cm5lZC15b3VyLWFib3J0aW9uLXNlYXJjaGVzLWNvdWxkLWJlLXVzZWQtdG8tcHJvc2VjdXRlLXlvdS9XA3NwY0IKYrPDMLxiUiE6CVIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) [Cassidy-Hutchinson] Brandon Bell/Getty Images Trump has a meltdown on Truth Social after Cassidy Hutchinson's bombshell Jan. 6 testimony Cassidy Hutchinson, a former top aide to Trump chief of staff Mark Meadows, testified to the Jan. 6 committee that Trump knew Capitol rioters had weapons but demanded they be let through security anyway so his rally audience would be bigger before the march on the Capitol. She said Trump demanded to be driven to the Capitol and even tried grabbing at a Secret Service agent's neck in an apparent attempt to hijack the presidential limo. During another point, Hutchinson recalled "ketchup dripping down the wall" after Trump saw AG Bill Barr refute his fraud claims to the press. Trump, in typical fashion, responded by claiming he "hardly" knows Hutchinson, who was with his chief of staff constantly. "I hardly know who this person is … other than I heard very negative things about her (a total phony and a 'leaker')," Trump wrote over Truth Social, his social media platform. "She is bad news!" [Read more from Jon Skolnik.](~/AASU4wA~/RgRknrXCP0R0aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDYvMjgvaGFzLWEtbWVsdGRvd24tb24tdHJ1dGgtc29jaWFsLWFmdGVyLWNhc3NpZHktaHV0Y2hpbnNvbnMtYm9tYnNoZWxsLWphbi02LXRlc3RpbW9ueS9XA3NwY0IKYrPDMLxiUiE6CVIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) Have a tip for Salon? Feedback on this newsletter? [Let us know](mailto:brett.bachman@salon.com). Our mailing address: 1000 N. 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