January 1, Biden defies Trump, orders release of records to Jan. 6 committee

The Biden administration ordered the release of a stash of Trump-era documents to the House Select Committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, setting up a showdown with former President Trump.

“As a part of this process, the president has determined an assertion of executive privilege is not warranted for the first set of documents from the Trump White House that have been provided to us by the National Archives,” White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said.

“This is just the first set of documents, and we will evaluate claims of privilege on a case by case basis,” she said. “But the president has also been clear he believes it to be of the utmost importance for both Congress and the American people to have a complete understanding of the events of that day to prevent them from happening again.”

The decision could result in another kerfuffle with Trump, who has already threatened litigation to block subpoenas of his former aides.

“Congress is examining an assault on our Constitution and democratic institutions provoked and fanned by those sworn to protect them,” White House counsel Dana Remus wrote in a letter to the National Archives. “And the conduct under investigation extends far beyond typical deliberations concerning the proper discharge of the President’s constitutional responsibilities.”

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White House orders release of Trump records to Jan. 6 committee