Trump’s Concerns Grow as Former Chief of Staff Mark Meadows Remains Mysterious Amid Legal Troubles

Donald Trump’s lawyers and political advisers embarked on a “small fact-finding mission” earlier this year, as disclosed by individuals familiar with the matter to Rolling Stone. The purpose was to uncover information about Trump’s former White House chief of staff, Mark Meadows. Justice Department investigators and Special Counsel Jack Smith’s office were eager to question Meadows under oath regarding Trump’s alleged attempts to undermine the 2020 election and withhold government documents. Trump and his team remain uncertain about Meadows’ level of cooperation and the extent to which he may have provided information to federal authorities. Communication between Meadows, his lawyer, and most individuals associated with Trump has been severed, frustrating those working to protect the twice-indicted former president from further legal jeopardy.

Trump’s attorneys and advisers, upon returning from their inquiry, delivered disappointing news to Trump—they were unable to ascertain what was truly transpiring, resorting to repeating hearsay and speculation.

Neither Meadows, his lawyer, nor Trump’s spokesperson responded to Rolling Stone’s requests for comment.

Meadows and his team have chosen to remain tight-lipped. Earlier this month, The New York Times confirmed that Meadows had indeed testified before a grand jury, but details about the content and subjects of his testimony remain scarce. Meadows’ lawyer, George Terwilliger, offered vague statements this month, stating, “Without commenting on whether or not Mr. Meadows has testified before the grand jury or in any other proceeding, Mr. Meadows has maintained a commitment to tell the truth where he has a legal obligation to do so.”

Such cryptic remarks have not been well received in Trump’s circle. Over the past few weeks, several lawyers and close associates have privately expressed unconfirmed suspicions to Trump that Meadows is actively aiding federal authorities in order to reduce his own legal exposure, according to two independent sources familiar with the matter. These sources also revealed that Trump, on occasion, admitted to being uncertain about Meadows’ activities, expressing a sense of disappointment if the rumors within MAGA-land turned out to be true.

Following Terwilliger’s brief statement to the media, some of Trump’s long-time allies and close advisers have taken to sarcastically referring to Meadows using the rat emoji during private conversations, according to a source with knowledge of the situation and a reviewed screenshot obtained by Rolling Stone.

However, others in Trump’s immediate circle have recently reassured him that, at least for now, he should not read too much into Meadows’ silence. These individuals, who possess direct knowledge of the matter, have conveyed to Trump that there is currently no concrete evidence to suggest that Meadows is actively cooperating and that his silence may simply be due to legal advice, maintaining a low profile while responding to federal inquiries until the conclusion of the special counsel investigation.

Unfortunately for Meadows and other witnesses, Trump has long struggled to distinguish between a witness with an official cooperation agreement and someone who is legally obliged to answer questions, potentially offering incriminating information to authorities, as sources who have discussed federal probes and other investigations with Trump over the years have revealed. Trump was particularly furious about the level of detail documented by his own attorney, Evan Corcoran, which has proven to be advantageous to prosecutors in the ongoing case.

The current state of Meadows’ relationship with Trump and his inner circle marks a significant departure from the early days of Trump’s post-presidency. Despite the wave of scandal and violence stemming from Trump’s efforts to retain power following the 2020 election, Meadows largely remained in Trump’s good graces. At the time, Meadows even privately expressed belief that Trump would offer him a senior role in the upcoming presidential contest—potentially even as the chairman of Trump’s 2024 campaign—according to a source with direct knowledge of the matter.

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