Revealed: Desperate texts begging Donald Trump to take action as rioters stormed US Capitol

Former US president Donald Trump in the Oval Office on December 7, 2020. Photo / AP

The US congressional committee investigating the Capitol riot has revealed a series of desperate text messages that were sent to the White House during the violence, fruitlessly urging then-president Donald Trump to intervene.

We still know relatively little about Trump's actions during the riot on January 6, in which a mob of his supporters overran the Capitol in an attempt to stop Congress from certifying Joe Biden's election victory.

Rioters started to fight with law enforcement outside the Capitol at about 1.10pm and breached police lines an hour later, entering the building by force. Trump did not issue a statement urging them to leave until 4.17pm.

"I know your pain. I know you're hurt. We had an election that was stolen from us. It was a landslide election and everyone knows it, especially the other side. But you have to go home now. We have to have peace," he said in that video message.

Rioters break through a police barrier at the US Capitol on January 6, 2021. Photo / AP

"So go home. We love you. You're very special."

In the three hours between the start of the violence and that message, he posted two tweets urging his supporters to "stay peaceful", but did not tell them to leave.

Beyond that, we do not know of any steps the president took to calm the situation.

Today, the committee tasked with investigating the riot read out text messages that were sent to Trump's chief of staff, Mark Meadows, during the period in question.

Conservative media figures, members of Congress, Trump administration officials and one of Trump's own children were among those begging the president to do something.

"He's got to condemn this s*** ASAP. The Capitol Police tweet is not enough," wrote Trump's eldest son, Donald Jr.

He was referring to a tweet posted at 2.38pm, which read: "Please support our Capitol Police and law enforcement. They are truly on the side of our country. Stay peaceful!"

Meadows replied to Donald Jr: "I'm pushing it hard. I agree."

According to the committee, Donald Jr subsequently texted "again and again" to "urge action by the president".

"We need an Oval [Office] address. He has to lead now. It has gone too far and gotten out of hand," he said.

Congressman Liz Cheney, one of the nine-person committee's two Republican members, also read out a series of texts from unnamed members of Congress.

"We are under siege up here at the Capitol," wrote one such person.

"They have breached the Capitol," said another.

Former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows. Photo / AP

"Mark, protesters are literally storming the Capitol. Breaking windows on doors. Rushing in. Is Trump going to say something?" asked a third.

"There's an armed standoff at the House Chamber door," said another.

"We are all helpless," a fifth person wrote.

"POTUS has to come out firmly and tell [the] protesters to dissipate. Someone is going to get killed," warned a sixth.

"Mark, he needs to stop this. Now," said another.

"POTUS needs to calm this s*** down," another person said.

And one, in all caps, simply said: "TELL THEM TO GO HOME."

Cheney argued the texts left "no doubt" that "the White House knew exactly what was happening at the Capitol".

Media figures also wrote to Meadows on the day of the siege with urgent advice.

"Mark, the president needs to tell people in the Capitol to go home," said Fox News opinion host Laura Ingraham.

"This is hurting all of us. He is destroying his legacy."

Her colleague Sean Hannity asked Meadows whether Trump could "make a statement" and "ask people to leave the Capitol".

"Please get him on TV. Destroying everything you have accomplished," wrote morning show host Brian Kilmeade.

The House panel investigating the January 6 Capitol insurrection. Photo / AP

All of these texts were revealed as part of a hearing to determine whether Meadows should be held in criminal contempt of Congress for refusing to co-operate with a subpoena issued by the committee.

Meadows initially agreed to co-operate, and provided some documentary evidence to the committee, before changing his mind. He has cited executive privilege in an attempt to justify his refusal to answer questions.

The committee has rejected his privilege claim. Today its members unanimously recommended he face contempt charges.

"Mr Meadows has failed to comply and warrants contempt findings because he has wholly refused to appear to provide any testimony and refused to answer questions regarding clearly non-privileged information – information that he himself identified as non-privileged through his own document production," the committee said.

The House of Representatives will now vote on whether to support criminal charges. The federal Department of Justice will ultimately decide whether to pursue such charges, which could result in jail time.

Another unco-operative witness, Trump's former political adviser Steve Bannon, has already been charged.

In a letter to the committee, Meadows' lawyer George Terwilliger argued his client had made a "good faith invocation of executive privilege".

"A referral of a senior presidential aide would also be unwise because it would do great damage to the institution of the presidency," Terwilliger said.

The House of Representatives is expected to vote on the matter tomorrow.