OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
A long-running narrative about a so-called “mystery gap” in official White House call logs for then-President Donald Trump on Jan. 6, 2021, the day of the riot at the U.S. Capitol Building, appears to have just collapsed.
Despite assertions to the contrary, the Trump White House switchboard call log record is actually “complete,” CNN reported earlier this week, and in fact, according to a source, the call log is reflective of the “typical phone habits” of Trump.
Though CNN’s report appeared to complain that the system used to track presidents’ phone calls is, and has been for decades, “imperfect and antiquated,” the Trump White House call logs are neither inaccurate or incomplete.
The Daily Wire adds:
The report cited a former staffer of President Barack Obama detailing how staff would sometimes dial out a call for the then-president and hit transfer to connect Obama, which would technically evade the White House call log. CNN explained that it was possible that President Donald Trump often did the same during his tenure.
“CNN Breaking: The 6 pages of WH switchboard logs for 1/6 are complete based on an official review of White House records, according to a source familiar with the matter. There are no missing pages & the 7 hour gap is likely explained by use of WH landlines & cell phones link,” Jamie Gangel reported late Thursday night.
CNN Breaking: The 6 pages of WH switchboard logs for 1/6 are complete based on an official review of White House records, according to a source familiar with the matter. There are no missing pages & the 7 hour gap is likely explained by use of WH landlines & cell phones link👇🏻
— Jamie Gangel (@jamiegangel) April 1, 2022
“That said, the [January 6th Committee] still wants to know who Trump was talking to and what he was doing and not doing during the attack,” Gangel noted. “There are other phone logs and records they can check and ask for. This simply speaks to Trump not using the WH switchboard to place calls.”
That said, the @January6thCmte still wants to know who Trump was talking to and what he was doing and not doing during the attack. There are other phone logs and records they can check and ask for. This simply speaks to Trump not using the WH switchboard to place calls.
— Jamie Gangel (@jamiegangel) April 1, 2022
“The mystery of the seven-hour gap has fueled furious speculation as to why calls are missing. That includes allegations that Trump was using ‘burner phones’ (which he has denied) or that the logs were purposely suppressed. But the gap might have a less mysterious explanation,” CNN noted in its report.
“According to multiple sources familiar with Trump’s phone behavior and the White House switchboard records, the January 6 log reflects Trump’s typical phone habits,” the report said. “He mainly placed calls through the switchboard when he was in the residence but rarely used it when he was in the Oval Office. The fact the log does not show calls on January 6, 2021, from the Oval Office is not unusual, said the sources, because Trump typically had staff either place calls directly for him on landlines or cell phones. Those calls would not be noted on the switchboard log.”
“The six pages of White House switchboard logs for January 6, 2021, are complete based on an official review of White House records, according to a source familiar with the matter,” CNN added. “There are no missing pages and the seven-hour gap is likely explained by use of White House landlines, White House cell phones and personal cell phones that do not go through the switchboard.”
Earlier this week, CBS News ran a ‘breaking’ story on the ‘mystery gap.’
BREAKING: CBS News and the Washington Post have obtained White House records turned over to the House, which show a gap in President Donald Trump’s phone logs of seven hours and 37 minutes on January 6. https://t.co/52MSlvy5f9
— CBS News (@CBSNews) March 29, 2022
The suggestion of “burner phones” was highlighted in a tweet attached to the first one. “When asked for a response on the 7-hour gap in his phone logs on January 6, former President Trump said, ‘I have no idea what a burner phone is, to the best of my knowledge I have never even heard the term.’”
And the Washington Post published a piece Thursday questioning the “suspicious gap” while wildly speculating that it could be due to “Watergate-style tampering.”
analysis piece published Thursday questioned the “suspicious gap” in the call log and speculated wildly, including one of “Watergate-style tampering”
