Jared Kushner and Hope Hicks Provide Testimony to Trump Grand Jury

The federal grand jury investigating former President Donald Trump’s involvement in efforts to overturn the 2020 election has been questioning key figures from his inner circle. Testimony has been sought from senior aides such as Jared Kushner and Hope Hicks to determine if Trump privately admitted losing the presidential election, according to The New York Times. Alyssa Farah Griffin, former White House communications director, has also provided testimony, as reported by ABC News.

These questions reflect the inquiry of special counsel Jack Smith’s team into whether Trump’s actions were driven by corrupt intent and if he knew his efforts were based on falsehoods. No comments were provided by anyone involved. Griffin, however, revealed to prosecutors and the House committee investigating the attack on the Capitol that Trump said to her, “Can you believe I lost to Joe Biden?” and added, “In that moment I think he knew he lost,” as detailed by the Times. Other individuals, including Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, have also reported similar comments, with Milley stating that Trump said something like, “Yeah, we lost, we need to let that issue go to the next guy,” in a post-election meeting.

Legal experts emphasize that prosecutors do not necessarily require evidence of the defendant’s knowledge of wrongdoing, but it can significantly strengthen their case, especially in trials where the defendant does not testify. Andrew Goldstein, lead prosecutor in the investigation into obstruction of justice during the Russian interference probe involving Trump, explained that knowledge of the former president’s statements can help justify the necessity of charges to the public. (Read more Donald Trump stories).