Ornato was thrust into the center of the January 6 furor as an eyewitness to some of the most critical incidents involving Donald Trump in the hours leading up to the deadly assault on the US Capitol.

He began as head of Trump's secret service detail but in an unprecedented move in December 2019 became deputy chief of staff in the White House.

In that capacity, he was drawn into the sights of the January 6 committee in its investigation of Trump's role in inciting the Capitol insurrection. A former White House aide, Cassidy Hutchinson, in June testified publicly to the committee that Ornato had told her Trump had become "irate" when his security detail refused to drive him to the Capitol as the assault on Congress was beginning.