Trump 'blindsided' closest advisers on Jan. 6 with Twitter post encouraging more violence

Donald Trump's Twitter post on Jan. 6 that lashed out at former vice president Mike Pence while supporters of the now former president were trashing the U.S. Capitol both "blindsided" and infuriated some of his top advisers, reports ABC News.

According to the Sunday morning report, senior Trump advisor Dan Scavino, who normally does the posting on Trump's social media accounts, had to defend himself when the unattended Trump made Pence a target for the rioters with a statement on Twitter, now known as X.

In one telling exchange, Scavino told investigators working for special counsel Jack Smith that the former president was informed Pence was being moved to a secure location to protect him from the rioters, only for Trump to respond, "So what?" which stunned his aides.

Worse still, ABC is reporting, Trump was left to his own devices "with his arms folded and his eyes locked on the TV," watching the insurrection unfold and, with Scavino out of the room, attacked Pence on Twitter by writing the then VP "didn't have the courage to do what should have been done."

ALSO READ: Five unresolved questions surrounding the Jan. 6 attack

According to ABC News, "Trump's aides told investigators they were shocked by the post. Aside from Trump, Scavino was the only other person with access to Trump's Twitter account, and he was often the one actually posting messages to it, so when the message about Pence popped up, Cipollone and another White House attorney raced to find Scavino, demanding to know why he would post that in the midst of such a precarious situation, sources said."

The report adds Scavino was "blindsided" by the post and was forced to tell his colleagues, "I didn't do it."

The tweet can be seen below.