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Who else spoke at the January 6 2021 Ellipse rally before Trump?
Executive summary
Multiple reporting and committee records show that the Jan. 6, 2021 “Stop the Steal”/“Save America” sequence at the Ellipse involved several on‑stage figures besides then‑President Trump — notably Kimberly Guilfoyle introducing Donald Trump Jr., and organizers and surrogates such as Katrina Pierson who were involved in arranging speakers and who at times addressed or appeared at the event [1] [2]. Some outlets and witnesses say others — including proposed speakers Alex Jones and Ali Alexander — were considered but ultimately left off the final Ellipse speaker list [3] [4].
1. Who actually spoke on the Ellipse before Trump: named performers and introducers
Contemporaneous coverage and later committee reporting identify specific people who took the microphone on the Ellipse stage in the run‑up to Trump’s remarks: for example, Kimberly Guilfoyle introduced Donald Trump Jr. and was later reported to have been paid a speaking fee for that short introduction (reported as $60,000) [1] [5]. Roll Call preserves the full transcript of Trump’s speech itself, but separate reporting and committee testimony point to family members, campaign surrogates and allied organizers filling earlier slots [6] [1].
2. Organizers who appeared on stage or were formally part of the program
Organizers from the Women for America First bus tour and allied groups — such as Amy Kremer and Katrina Pierson — have been publicly tied to the Ellipse event and to planning the program; Pierson in particular was interviewed by the House select committee and has been described as someone who spoke at or was involved with the rally logistics [7] [2]. Rolling Stone and Raw Story reporting describe the Ellipse event as the culmination of bus‑tour efforts and list multiple organizers and boosters who played roles on the day [7] [4].
3. Who was proposed but not on the final speaker list: Jones, Alexander and controversy
Former Trump aide testimony and committee exhibits indicate that Donald Trump was interested in having more fringe figures — notably Alex Jones and Ali Alexander — speak, but organizers raised “red flags,” and those two were not on the final Ellipse speaker roster [3]. Ali Alexander and Alex Jones were part of planning conversations around Jan. 6 but, according to Pierson’s account to investigators, were left off the final program amid organizer concern [3].
4. Conflicting accounts and limits of the public record
Sources diverge about precise roles and who literally stood at the podium immediately before Trump. While CNN and other outlets report Guilfoyle’s paid introduction of Don Jr. (and her backstage presence with the Trump family), other accounts emphasize that multiple members of Congress and various organizers were expected to speak amid negotiations over the stage lineup [1] [4]. Available sources do not provide a single, sequential, time‑stamped list of every Ellipse speaker in order directly preceding Trump’s mic time [6] [4].
5. Why the lineup mattered: optics, security and subsequent investigations
The identities of pre‑Trump speakers became a focus for the House select committee because stage choices reflected who coordinated with the White House and which actors mobilized crowds that later marched on the Capitol; committee interviews and press reporting highlight organizer meetings with White House figures and disputes about who would share the platform with Trump [7] [2]. Rolling Stone and committee reporting stressed that the Ellipse rally was planned as the day’s culmination and that several members of Congress and allied activists were expected to participate, which is why organizer lists and payments (like Guilfoyle’s) drew scrutiny [4] [1].
6. Competing interpretations and implicit agendas in the record
Different outlets frame these facts through varied lenses: investigative pieces emphasize coordination and the role of militant backers and organizers (Raw Story, Rolling Stone) while mainstream outlets and committee documents focus on logistics, payments and testimony (CNN; House panel records) [7] [1] [2]. Organizers who cooperated with the committee sometimes sought to distance themselves from others; conversely, some defendants and allies have disputed implications about intent — an important tension reporters flagged [4] [2].
7. Bottom line for researchers and readers
If you need a single, authoritative list of who spoke immediately before Trump, current public reporting compiled in these sources shows named introducers/short speakers (e.g., Kimberly Guilfoyle for Don Jr.) and documents organizer involvement (e.g., Katrina Pierson, Amy Kremer), while also noting proposed speakers who were excluded (Alex Jones, Ali Alexander) — but the sources provided do not furnish a definitive, minute‑by‑minute program schedule for the Ellipse lineup [1] [2] [3] [4]. For a complete, ordered roster you would need to consult primary video of the Ellipse stage, the House committee exhibitory record, or the event’s official program materials — items not contained in the sources assembled here [6] [4].