Donald Trump’s policy of not allowing anyone who ever met him to speak with Congress is going to get a further test, as the House Judiciary Committee has issued subpoenas for former adviser Hope Hicks and former Deputy White House Counsel Annie Donaldson. According to Politico, the subpoenas call on both women to produce requested documents by June 4. Then they are scheduled to testify with Hicks on June 19 and Donaldson on June 24.
However, Trump has so far not allowed any member of his current or former staff to respond to either a request or a subpoena since Democrats took control of the House in January. On Monday, Trump once again ordered former White House Counsel Don McGahn not to testify—driving up calls to move to an impeachment inquiry. It seems extremely likely that Trump will issue similar orders to both Hicks and Donaldson. Though, since there’s absolutely nothing Trump could do if they ignored his order, there’s no reason one or the other might not still appear.
As Trump’s confidant during the campaign period, and the person who often acted as the buffer between those communicating with Trump through text or email, Hicks has long been sought after for information on incidents such as the false story created to cover up the Trump Tower meeting.
Donaldson’s name has been mentioned frequently in the wake of the Mueller report since on many incidents she was the one actually taking notes during meetings between Trump and McGahn. Excerpts from her notes in the Mueller report provided some of the most tantalizing insight into the events taking place during the period when Trump was ordering McGahn to get rid of the special counsel.