Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) confirmed in an interview with Spectrum News on Wednesday that he spoke with former President Trump on Jan. 6.
Reporter Taylor Popielarz sought to clear up remarks Jordan had made during an interview with Fox News host Bret Baier on Tuesday where he alluded to speaking with Trump.
When Baier asked Jordan whether he spoke with the former president on the day of the riot, Jordan answered that he spoke with Trump many times.
“No, no, I mean on Jan. 6, congressman,” Baier responded.
“Yes, I mean I’ve talked to the president — I’ve talked to the president so many — I can’t remember all the days I’ve talked to him, but I’ve certainly talked to the president,” Jordan replied.
Popielarz asked Jordan to clear some confusion on the matter, asking the Ohio Republican, “First off, yes or no — did you speak with President Trump on Jan. 6?”
“Yeah I mean — I spoke with the president last week, I speak with the president all of the time. I spoke with him on Jan. 6. I mean, I talked with President Trump all the time and that’s … I don’t think that’s unusual. I would expect members of Congress to talk with the president of the United States when they’re trying to get done the things they told the voters in their district to do,” Jordan said.
“On Jan. 6, did you speak with him before, during, or after the Capitol was attacked?” Popielarz pressed Jordan.
“I spoke with him that day, after? I think after. I don’t know if I spoke with him in the morning or not. I just don’t know … I don’t know when those conversations happened,” Jordan replied.
Jordan is among a list of officials who could be called to testify before the House select committee investigating Jan. 6 because he spoke with Trump that day.
During an interview on Good Morning America on Tuesday, Rep. Liz Cheney (Wyo.), one of two Republicans serving on the committee, raised that possibility, saying, “I think that Congressman Jordan may well be a material witness.”
Jordan, a staunch ally of Trump’s, was one of five Republicans nominated by House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) to sit on the select committee investigating the events of Jan. 6, including security failures and Trump’s role in the riot.
Pelosi vetoed Jordan and another McCarthy pick, Rep. Jim Banks (R-Ind.), from serving on the committee.
Pelosi asked McCarthy to pick two new GOP members to serve on the committee. Instead, McCarthy pulled all his Republican picks from the panel.