Page:CTRL0000034600 - Transcribed Interview of Richard Peter Donoghue, (Oct. 1, 2021).pdf/189

189 What you are doing there is more important. But if you can spare the time, get on these calls so we can hear directly what's going on, on the ground.

That might have—

Is that what led to you—

That might have been before the Chief of Staff called in the car. I can't really remember.

And is that what led to you, essentially, leading the 18—the 1900 call?

Yes. Both the 1800 call and the 1900 call, I was told in advance, at least in one case by the DAG himself, that you're the senior official on the ground in terms of civilian executive branch agencies. And, therefore, when we start this call, we're going to turn it over to you to brief up what the situation is on the ground. And I did that both in the 1800 and 1900 calls.

And I just want to turn to the page of your handwritten notes where you state: Prepped for the 1800 call.

Right.

Sorry, we've gone a little bit out of order, but it's completely fine.

So we talked about the 1900 call, and you told us what leadership was on that call. I want to clarify in your notes for the 1900 call, it says POTUS and VP.

Was the President on that call?

No, I never spoke to the President that day. He was not on any calls that I was on.

Was there any attempt by the President to contact you that day?

Not that I'm aware of.

Did you later learn that the President attempted to call you that day after—

No. On January 6th? No, I never heard that the President tried to contact