The former president followed events unfolding on Fox News from his favourite spot in a private dining room in the West Wing as hundreds of his supporters stormed the Capitol on January 6, 2021, after his election loss to Joe Biden.
One adviser, Sarah Matthews, resigned on the spot when Mr Trump poured "gasoline on the fire" by tweeting condemnation of his own vice-president Mike Pence for not blocking the presidential election result.
"I thought that January 6, 2021 was one of the darkest days in our nation's history," she said. "And President Trump was treating it as a celebratory occasion. So it just further cemented my decision to resign."
New insights into Mr Trump's thinking emerged at the latest hearing of a Congressional investigation into the riot, which left five people dead.
This story is from the July 22, 2022 edition of Evening Standard.
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This story is from the July 22, 2022 edition of Evening Standard.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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