At first, he read directly from the teleprompter in what was clearly an attorney-written expression of his skepticism. This was necessary with the January 6 Commission still trying to nail him and his allies.

"Exactly how many of those present at the Capitol complex on January 6 were FBI confidential informants, agents, or otherwise working directly or indirectly with an agency of the United States government?" he asked.

He then went off script, as he is wont to do, saying, "People want to hear this. How about the one guy? 'Go in, go in, get in there everybody — Epps — get in there, go, go, go!' Nothing happens to him. What happened with him? Nothing happens."

Heads nodded in the background as he returned to the teleprompter for the carefully worded remarks.

"Did any of these individuals whatsoever approving or facilitating the events at the Capitol?" he asked. "That's what we want to know."