The text was sent to former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, and its publication came as part of a letter that the House Select Committee on the January 6 Attack sent to Hannity on Tuesday asking him to come forward with information regarding the events of the insurrection.
Knowledge of the request was first obtained by Axios, just hours before the contents of the letter were published by the committee’s website.
The committee stated that it was interested in talking to Hannity due to his association with former President Donald Trump and officials in the Trump administration, including Meadows. The letter also added that the committee had obtained information that Hannity had “advance knowledge regarding President Trump’s and his legal team’s planning for January 6.”
“It also appears that you [Hannity] were expressing concerns and providing advice to the President and certain White House staff regarding the planning,” the committee continued. “You also had relevant communications while the riot was underway, and in the days thereafter.”
The committee added that these communications made Hannity a “fact witness” in their investigation.
Beyond the initial message that voiced his concerns, the committee also showed multiple other texts and communications Hannity reportedly had with Meadows. These texts were related to Trump’s actions to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election, as well as what the former president might do after the fact.
“I do NOT see January 6 happening the way [Trump] is being told,” one of the texts to Meadows read. “After the 6 th. He should announce will lead the nationwide effort to reform voting integrity [sic].”
Hannity added that the former president should “go to Fl and watch [President Joe Biden] fail daily. Stay engaged. When he speaks people will listen.”
Based on information from the letter, the committee also appears to believe that Hannity may have talked to Trump directly on the night of January 5 “regarding his planning for January 6.” The next day, in the midst of the attack, Hannity texted Meadows urging him to implore Trump to tell the Capitol rioters to go home, and reportedly also had a conversation regarding the 25th Amendment, which could be used to remove a sitting president from office.
Despite the January 6 committee adding that none of these text messages were non-privileged, Hannity’s attorney, Jay Sekulow, said in a statement that he was “evaluating the letter from the committee. We remain very concerned about the constitutional implications especially as it relates to the First Amendment. We will respond as appropriate.”
It is unclear as of Tuesday evening whether or not Hannity is planning to comply with the committee’s request.
Hannity has previously condemned the actions of the Capitol rioters. The night after the attack, he stated on his Fox News program Hannity that “all of today’s perpetrators must be arrested and prosecuted.”
However, beyond this, Hannity has not made any statements tying Trump to the events of January 6. He also lashed out at the committee after its vice-chair, Wyoming Representative Liz Cheney, read out texts from other Fox News pundits that were sent to Meadows on January 6.
The committee is likely eager to hear from Hannity given his personal closeness to former President Trump. The pair talked often throughout Trump’s time in office, and Axios reported that “a phone call from Hannity to Trump carried more sway than a conversation between the president and many members of his own Cabinet.”
Hannity did not address the January 6 committee’s request during Tuesday night’s episode of Hannity.
Fox News referred Newsweek to the statement from Hannity’s attorney when reached for comment.
Update (01/04/2022, 11 p.m. ET): This story has been updated with additional information.
