According to CNN, the Justice Department wants the White House to testify about the former president's conversations on January 6, 2021.
According to people briefed on the matter, federal prosecutors are preparing for a legal battle over whether to force former Trump administration officials to testify. The latest sign that the DOJ's investigation is focused on Trump's conduct is the agency's apparent preparation.
According to CNN, the Justice Department is anticipating that Trump will use executive privilege to hide evidence from the federal grand jury.
A Trump spokesman didn't reply to Insider's request for comment.
The news of the DOJ's planning comes two days after several media outlets reported that the agency's probe has become more focused on Trump's actions after his loss to President Joe Biden.
The Washington Post reported that two people familiar with the matter said that investigators before a grand jury asked witnesses about conversations with Trump and his associates. The level to which Trump is implicated in his attorneys' fake-elector scheme has been inquired about by prosecutors.
The Justice Department's investigation, which is separate from the House Select Committee's probe, has been closing in on Trump for months, according to The Post.
A court battle over executive privilege would lead to an increase in the investigation.
As the congressional committee's televised hearings have renewed public interest in the insurrection, the Justice Department has faced growing criticism for its slow- moving investigation. The caution prosecutors are taking in navigating the difficult situation of investigating a former president is indicated by the agency's alleged preparation.
The United States has never had a former president charged with a crime. Garland said this week that he hasn't ruled out indicting Trump for his part in the attack.
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