Jan. 6 hearing focuses on Trump during the insurrection

WASHINGTON (NewsNation) — The House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection is expected to focus on what former President Donald Trump was doing in the White House as the riot unfolded at the U.S. Capitol.

Thursday marks the committee’s eighth hearing overall and the second in prime time. The first, held on June 9, was watched by more than 20 million people.

Rep. Adam Kinzinger, an Illinois Republican who is one of two members leading the hearing, said he expects it will “open people’s eyes in a big way.”

Testifying on Thursday are several former White House aides. Matt Pottinger, who was deputy national security adviser, and Sarah Matthews, then press aide, both submitted their resignations on Jan. 6, 2021, after what they saw that day. Trump has dismissed the hearings on social media and regarded much of the testimony as fake. Excerpts from the committee’s more than 1,000 interviews are expected as the Thursday night session will add a closing chapter to the past six weeks of hearings that at times have captivated the nation and provided a record for history.

Ahead of the hearing, the committee released a video of four former White House aides —  press secretary Kayleigh McEnany, security aide Gen. Keith Kellogg, White House Counsel Pat Cipollone and executive assistant to the president Molly Michael — testifying that Trump was in the private dining room with the TV on as the violence unfolded.

The panel has said its investigation is ongoing and other hearings are possible. It expects to compile a preliminary report this fall, and a final report by the end of this session of Congress.

NewsNation will live stream the hearings at 8 p.m. ET. You can watch the hearing live in the player above.

For prior coverage of previous hearings, click here.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.