The storied Willard Hotel in Washington, DC, which became the de facto headquarters of the Union Army during the U.S. Civil War, again finds itself the scene of controversy as members of Congress seek to understand to what lengths the Trump White House took to overturn the 2020 U.S. presidential election.
Willard Hotel At The Center Of January 6, 2021 Trump Uprising
The Willard hosted Abraham Lincoln when he was secretly smuggled into town ahead of his 1861 inauguration. It was the place where General U.S. Grant set up headquarters for the Union Army and planned strategy over Mint Juleps at the Round Robin bar.
A century later, it was the place where Martin Luther King wrote his I Have A Dream speech and stayed prior his historic March on Washington. Robert Kennedy ordered FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover to tap King’s room, where he was caught having an extramarital affair.
And once again the Willard finds itself at the center of U.S. political history. Congressman Bennie Thompson, Chairman of the House Select Committee investigating the January 6, 2021 Capitol attack, wants to better understand the conversations that took place between the White House and President Donald Trump’s legal team in the hours leading up to the uprising.
The Guardian reports that on the night of January 5, 2021, Trump called his lieutenants at the Willard Hotel to plot out a strategy to prevent the certification of the election for Joe Biden the following day.
Lawyers for the former President, including Rudy Giuliani, John Eastman, Jenna Ellis, Boris Epshteyn as well long-time Trump loyalist Steve Bannon, were all staying at the Willard.
Trump was allegedly upset that Vice President Mike Pence had refused to commit to refusing to certify the election in his ceremonial role as President of the Senate and grilled his legal team for other remedies, including pushing Republican state election officials to de-certify results.
Bannon was called separately so as not to jeopardize attorney-client privilege, though attorney-client privilege likely would not apply anyway (it does not protect those who commit crimes, like treason, or investigations into alleged crime).
If Trump made the calls from his residence at the White House (versus the West Wing), they may not have been recorded, but a subpoena could shed light on the extent and duration of the phone communications.
CONCLUSION
The Willard hotel again finds itself at the center of uprising, rebellion, and Washington politics. As the House of Representatives seeks to piece together the timeline of the events leading to the January 6, 2021 insurrection, phone records between Trump and his legal team at the Willard might prove quite instrumental.
What, Four Seasons Landscaping was not good enough for them?
On that note, did you know the FS in Georgetown was Four Season’s first U.S. property? There have been some interesting things happen there as well since it opened in 1979. Wow, it’s an ugly building though!
I walked by it last weekend, as I have many times. I always wonder why FS doesn’t have a more pleasant exterior!
The late 70’s was a tough time architecturally, lol. I often call it the “brown age.” Of course, like everything, it will probably trend again, like high waisted jeans, who would have thunk.
Hey Matt, I like your content but this article seems almost entirely unrelated to travel. I understand this is a hotel you enjoy and a few historical facts being thrown in is cool, however little if any of this is related to the hotel or an experience an guest would receive. The events around Jan 6th are extremely politically volatile. While this is your site I hope you stop publishing content like this regardless of it being left, right, or center. I don’t think the comments sections going ballistic in a political shouting match are productive or even related to a travel blog.
With respect, the comments seems muted and this is the sort of unique story that is not found in other sources. I think your intentions are noble, but the treason of 1/6 should frankly be discussed more openly.
Annnnnnnd done. I get enough of this nonsense elsewhere, I don’t need it from travel blogs as well.
Bye Felicia!
Yes, because you have been such an integral part of the community and commenting often. I’ve never even seen your absurd one letter name here before.
“Teeason on Han 6” sir Matt calls it and says his comments are related to travel. Was there an objective investigation ever done? To refer to Jan 6 in such terms shows his ignorance and bias.
Dumbo.
Too much politics in this one..I agree with Stuart… stop already the lib readers will be all over this asap
Umm, I think you meant Scott.
Your comments are not related to travel on this hotel and quite clearly an anti Trump theme though imho disguised as historical.
You should know better but seen other comments by you that reflect the sentiments of this story.
My turn, BYE Matt.
Repent of your idolatry, Abbot Bridgewater.
Matthew, thanks for writing this post. I appreciate you reminding us of the history at the Willard and all what has occurred in the confines of a beautiful space. I think of the points you make often when I am in the lobby of the Willard finding my home – Indiana – on the ceiling.
I also appreciate that this is your blog, for you to write about what you want be it travel or a history lesson. You provide wonderful reports of your trips, beautiful photos and we have watched your kids grow. While we still want to see a pic of Heidi, I suspect she will remain German camera shy.
I also know that as an audience we don’t pay for this content and we should be thankful and not complain. You can and should write about what moves you, which shows in your writing.
Thank you Mike. Greatly appreciated.
Did not like my words…..so you removed? You lose.
When you hide under a new email address, your comments are placed in a moderating queue. Sorry for the delay.
What a jerk. Ignorant and self righteous.
You must be erasing all the comments that call you out. You do not know it was treason? A lynch mob created Jan 6 with verifiable FBI instigators and the Left is so afraid of Trump they even tried to impeach him.
Why don’t you stick to travel? Btw you are a wacko leftist who should learn the facts first.
Yea it is bye. I did enjoy ur comments but not ur politics.
First, don’t make assumptions about my politics. You really have no idea.
Second, did you listen to the recording of his call to Brad Raffensperger? Feel free to bury your head in the sand. I won’t.
Bye, bye.
I did not intentionally mean to cap on you so drastically. I just thought my emails were not being displayed. So take your choice of one 🙂 Seriously I think your views are not an enhancement to your website but it seems to me you have been dropping these little bombs here and there as I read your blog. May I say in all due respect, your information can be very easily contested regarding Jan 6. So much of it was govt and FBI interference. So much of this hot mess is to get rid of Trump. If you find someone that supports the people and not the wishes of the elite Billionaires I will gladly support but mixing biz and politics is incompatible in my estimation.
Have a good day.