Fox Nation host Tammy Bruce called the first hearing of the House’s special panel investigating the Capitol attack an “assault” on millions of voters who supported former President Donald Trump in 2020.

       As one of the rotating hosts of the network’s 7pm opinion show Fox News Primetime on Tuesday, Bruce made the remark while introducing Senator John Kennedy, a Republican and top Trump ally who himself went on to criticise Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s commission for being too “partisan” to uncover the truth about the 6 January attack.

       “Clearly today was ... it was an assault on 75 million Americans, I think it was meant to be. And that last swing at Donald Trump”, she mused.

       The Independent has reached out to Fox News for comment.

       At Tuesday’s hearing, four members of US Capitol Police gave emotional testimony recounting the violence they experienced at the hands of pro-Trump rioters that day; one, who is Black, told lawmakers that it was the first time he had ever been the target of racial slurs while in uniform.

       Another, a veteran, said that he was more afraid to return to the Capitol than he was during his entire time in Iraq.

       Republicans including Mr Kennedy have lambasted Ms Pelosi and Democrats over the committee, which they have portrayed as a partisan weapon being wielded against Republicans, while simultaneously refusing to support legislation that would have established a select commission over which their leadership would have had much more control.

       Many have insisted that the events of 6 January need to be examined, even as some elected members of their own party continue to downplay the violence that occurred that day.

       The panel’s second hearing remained unscheduled as of Wednesday afternoon. Lawmakers on the panel have suggested in the hours following the officers’ testimony on Tuesday that allies of the president as well as Mr Trump himself could face subpoenas over their roles in the events leading up to the riot.