• The Texas Republican was reacting to a leaked executive order draft that would’ve allowed Trump to call the Defense Secretary to seize the machines
  • The executive order also would have appointed a special counsel to probe baseless election fraud claims 
  • Capitol riot committee Chair Bennie Thompson said that such a draft exists
  • McCaul appeared uncomfortable when asked if Trump’s endorsement puts him in a tough spot to deal with the committee’s report
  • Trump backed his re-election bid in November of last year despite McCaul earlier condemning him for the Capitol attack 

Republican Rep. Michael McCaul of Texas said a recent report that Donald Trump considered an executive order to have the military seize voting machines in 2020 battleground states ‘very serious’ during a Sunday television interview.

Rep. Bennie Thompson, who chairs the House Select Committee investigating the Capitol attack, confirmed this morning that such an executive order was drafted.

The top GOP lawmaker on the House Foreign Affairs Committee told CBS News’ Face The Nation he hopes the ‘truth will come out’ in the Democrat-led investigation into the January 6 insurrection as well as the Justice Department’s probes into the matter.

His tone puts him at odds with the former president, who has been known to lash out at Republicans who express support for the committee or dispute his claims that the 2020 election was rigged.

It was also a stark departure from many of his colleagues in the House Republican Caucus, who routinely seek to undercut the committee and question its legitimacy.

‘Well, you know my reaction, it was a dark day, January 6. I want the truth to come out,’ McCaul said on Sunday.

He echoed Republican concerns that the panel had been ‘somewhat politicized.’