Former acting Defense Secretary, Chris Miller, has come forward with allegations that the January 6 Committee attempted to silence him if he continued to claim that former President Donald Trump authorized National Guard deployment to secure the capital on January 6. Miller said that the panel would “make my life hell,” feeling threatened by their warnings that he could face more depositions.
In an interview with the Daily Mail, Miller detailed the pressure he faced from the committee whenever he spoke publicly about Trump’s actions on January 6. He recounted how his TV appearances triggered warnings by the committee that he could be brought before them to provide testimony that could last hours. Miller speculated that his statements riled the ire of Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY), the committee vice chair, in particular saying “I’m sure that Cheney was looking at the optics and was like these people are a serious threat to my narrative that she tried to establish.”
NEW: Trump's Defense Secretary Chris Miller alleges the January 6 Committee threatened to 'make his life hell' if he didn't stop saying Trump authorized National Guard deployment before the Capitol riot.
Miller specifically implicates Liz Cheney in this intimidation effort,… pic.twitter.com/8XFm2qdqYQ
— KanekoaTheGreat (@KanekoaTheGreat) March 23, 2024
Miller’s entanglement with the committee stems from a June 2022 interview with Sean Hannity and former Trump-era National Security official Kash Patel. “That piece Kash and I did, it hit a nerve,” Miller told the Daily Mail, describing how the committee’s response to the interview was swift, with his lawyer receiving a call implying further interviews if Miller continued speaking out.
“It was the latent threat of the government continuing to intrude into my life,” Miller stated, explaining his reluctance to discuss the events publicly.
The former Defense Secretary’s claims coincide with newly released testimonies suggesting Trump had indeed called for heightened National Guard presence on January 6. Miller and Patel were both present at an Oval Office meeting where Trump allegedly authorized the deployment.
However, Miller and Patel’s sworn testimonies defending the former President were reportedly dismissed by the committee due to claimed political alignment with Trump.
A review by the House Administration Committee’s Subcommittee on Oversight revealed corroborative testimony from Secret Service official Tony Ornato, who was in charge of Trump’s security detail at the time, supporting Miller and Patel’s claims. Despite this, Ornato’s testimony had been previously suppressed by the January 6 panel.
Responding to Miller’s claims about Cheney’s influential role in the investigation, sources close to the review confirmed her “abnormally active role,” often framing questions around Trump’s involvement.
Miller criticized the committee’s proceedings as “political theater,” expressing his disillusionment with the investigative process. He stated that Cheney and other members of the committee will likely downplay claims he’s made of their threats against him.
