Secret Service Official Who Challenged Claim That Trump ‘Lunged at’ Driver During Capitol Riot Quits

One of the most explosive claims made during the January 6 Committee’s marathon hearings was that Donald Trump attempted to commandeer the presidential limousine to get his security detail to take him to the scene of the Capitol riots. Trump dismissed the allegation as a “phony story” and called the person who made the claim a “whack job.”

Tony Ornato, the Secret Service assistant director who challenged explosive testimony by former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson regarding Donald Trump’s alleged fit of rage in his presidential limousine on January 6, 2021, has resigned.

“I did retire to pursue a career in the private sector. I retired from the US Secret Service after more than 25 years of faithful service to my country, including serving the past five presidents. I long-planned to retire and have been planning this transition for more than a year,” the 48-year-old said in a statement to media.

Ornato did not provide any details regarding his future plans, but did say that his new place of employment would not be affiliated with Donald Trump or his business empire.

Trump appointed Ornato as White House deputy chief of staff for operations in December 2019, and the official returned to the Secret Service after Trump left office in 2021.

During the January 6 Committee’s June 28 hearing, Hutchinson, who worked as an aide to former Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, said Ornato had told her that Trump grew “irate” and tried to grab the steering wheel of the presidential SUV after being informed that it was too dangerous to go to the Capitol complex on the day of the riots. The president also “lunged at” Secret Service Agent Robert Engel’s clavicles, screamed “I’m the f***ing president. Take me to the Capitol now,” according to Hutchinson’s account.

Ornato privately dismissed Hutchinson’s account of the incident. His closed-door testimony to the committee has not been publicized.

Trump has repeatedly attacked Hutchinson in the wake of her testimony, calling her a “liar” and a “total phony,” and joking that he should feel “honored” for supposedly taking on “these two big, strong Secret Service guys.”

After Hutchinson’s testimony, Engel and the driver of the presidential SUV expressed willingness to testify to the fact that they were not assaulted by Trump, and that he did not try to grab the steering wheel of the vehicle at any point.

The January 6 Committee held its last public hearing in mid-July, setting the stage for a criminal case against the former president over alleged efforts on his part to obstruct the congressional certification of Joe Biden’s victory in the 2020 election.

Trump has dismissed the committee’s activities as a “witch-hunt” and a “show trial,” and his allies suspect that its purpose was to prevent him from running for president again in 2024.