Prosecutors Question Donald Trump's Close Allies Whether He Knew He Lost Power in 2020 Elections

Despite several attempts to overturn the 2020 elections, former president Donald J. Trump lost to his opponent Joe Biden. Federal prosecutors have been investigating Trump's close allies about whether he "secretly" knew of losing power in 2020. Amidst several eye-witnesses, Trump's son-in-law Jared Corey Kushner was also questioned. 

In recent weeks, federal courts are investigating if Trump acknowledged losing the elections simply because his efforts were entirely "based on a lie." Among the witnesses, Kushner was the first to testify before a grand jury in Washington last month, reported The New York Times. Apparently, this line of questioning was an attempt to investigate whether Trump operated with a "corrupt intent" throughout the elections. They are trying to figure out whether when Trump sought the wrong methods to overturn the election results, he "privately" knew it was "just a facade." 

Kushner reportedly said that it is his impression that Trump truly believed the election was stolen and handed to Joe Biden. The former president's alleged voter fraud was a big scandal, and the federal investigations led by Jack Smith are an attempt to weigh in on whether changes are needed in the case charges against the former president in connection to the scandal. 

However, the spokesperson for Trump and Kushner did not respond to an email from The New York Times seeking comments. Others besides Kushner in Trump's orbit who were around him at the time of the 2020 elections have also been questioned by the special counsel's office recently.

These close allies are said to have witnessed more "damaging" behavior of Trump at the time when Biden's victory was declared. Among those questioned was Alyssa Farah Griffin, who was the White House communications director in the days after the 2020 elections. She repeated the same account provided last year to the House select committee. 

Griffin told the prosecutors that Trump had said to her in the days after the election, "Can you believe I lost to Joe Biden?" Then she added, "In that moment, I think he knew he lost." When the outlet contacted Griffin's lawyer, Charles J. Cooper, he declined to comment on his client's statement. 

House Committee also asked other witnesses whether Trump's close aides informed him about losing the elections. Prosecutors covered what the former president told people in the summer months leading up to Election Day. They discussed these from as far back as the spring of 2020 when the Covid-19 pandemic began. The questions are integral in deciding whether to declare Trump guilty in the case. The former president's impending impeachment will determine his future in U.S. politics. 

House Committee, which is controlled by Democrats, referred to several allegations against Trump, including inciting an insurrection, conspiracy to defraud the United States, and obstructing an act of Congress. However, it is still unclear what charges they'll be considering to present to the Justice Department. 

The Republican party member is already facing charges brought by Smith in connection with classified documents taken from the White House, and he is also under indictment for giving hush-money payments to an adult-film actress before the 2016 election.