Trump tries to block testimony on January 6 uprising: media

Former US president Donald Trump has told four ex-advisors not to cooperate with a Congressional investigation into the January 6 uprising by his supporters against Congress, media reports.

Former president Donald Trump has told four former senior aides not to comply with a congressional probe into the January 6 attack on Congress, US media reported Thursday.

Politico and The Washington Post both reported that ex-advisors Mark Meadows, Kash Patel, Dan Scavino and Steve Bannon were told not to cooperate with the formal House investigation into the riot by Trump supporters, which critics have labelled an outright insurrection. 

Trump's lawyers argued in a letter to the four that his communications and records are protected from disclosure by executive privilege and attorney-client privilege.

At the time Meadows was White House chief of staff; Scavino handled social media for Trump; Bannon was a former political strategist who remained active in Republican operations; and Patel was a White House national security advisor whom Trump named to a senior Pentagon job following his election loss.

Legal experts have raised doubts that Trump can claim executive privilege over his actions in his final weeks in office to prevent his aides from talking.

And Trump's defiance could force the committee into legal fights that could stretch out the investigation.

"This time, lawbreaking witnesses must weigh the prospect of criminal prosecution," he warned.

pmh/dw

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