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| Trump Denies He Tied Ukraine Aid to Corruption Investigation of Biden | Trump Denies He Tied Ukraine Aid to Corruption Investigation of Biden |
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| President Trump denied on Monday that he had withheld security aid from Ukraine in an effort to pressure its president to investigate a political rival, even as he defended his attempt to enlist a foreign leader to dig up dirt on an adversary. | |
| As he began several days of international diplomacy at the United Nations, Mr. Trump was defiant in the face of allegations that his conversation with President Volodymyr Zelensky, in which he leveled unsubstantiated corruption charges against former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. and his son Hunter Biden, amounted to a grave abuse of presidential power. | As he began several days of international diplomacy at the United Nations, Mr. Trump was defiant in the face of allegations that his conversation with President Volodymyr Zelensky, in which he leveled unsubstantiated corruption charges against former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. and his son Hunter Biden, amounted to a grave abuse of presidential power. |
| The conversation, which is said to be part of a whistle-blower complaint that his administration refuses to share with Congress, occurred as the administration was delaying the release of a $391 million security aid package to Ukraine, raising questions about whether the president used the money as leverage to settle a political score. | The conversation, which is said to be part of a whistle-blower complaint that his administration refuses to share with Congress, occurred as the administration was delaying the release of a $391 million security aid package to Ukraine, raising questions about whether the president used the money as leverage to settle a political score. |
| “No, I didn’t — I didn’t do it,” Mr. Trump told reporters, when asked whether he had conditioned the aid on the promise of an investigation of Mr. Biden. He said he hoped that the transcript of a July 25 phone call he had with Mr. Zelensky would be released, claiming that it would exonerate him. “And I hope you get to see it soon,” he said. But then the president angrily denied that he had committed to releasing the document, arguing that making the transcript public would set a bad precedent, and he waffled repeatedly over whether he would authorize its disclosure. | “No, I didn’t — I didn’t do it,” Mr. Trump told reporters, when asked whether he had conditioned the aid on the promise of an investigation of Mr. Biden. He said he hoped that the transcript of a July 25 phone call he had with Mr. Zelensky would be released, claiming that it would exonerate him. “And I hope you get to see it soon,” he said. But then the president angrily denied that he had committed to releasing the document, arguing that making the transcript public would set a bad precedent, and he waffled repeatedly over whether he would authorize its disclosure. |
| Earlier, Mr. Trump appeared to argue that there would be nothing wrong with linking military aid for Ukraine, a former Soviet republic that is fighting Russian-backed separatists, to a corruption inquiry of Mr. Biden and his family. | Earlier, Mr. Trump appeared to argue that there would be nothing wrong with linking military aid for Ukraine, a former Soviet republic that is fighting Russian-backed separatists, to a corruption inquiry of Mr. Biden and his family. |
| “If you don’t talk about corruption, why would you give money to a country that you think is corrupt?” he said. | “If you don’t talk about corruption, why would you give money to a country that you think is corrupt?” he said. |
| During a meeting with President Andrzej Duda of Poland on Monday, Mr. Trump suggested that his main complaint about the American aid to Ukraine — which he temporarily suspended this summer before releasing it last month amid bipartisan pressure from Congress — involved a lack of European assistance to the country. “Why isn’t Europe helping Ukraine more?” Mr. Trump said. “Why is it always the United States?” | During a meeting with President Andrzej Duda of Poland on Monday, Mr. Trump suggested that his main complaint about the American aid to Ukraine — which he temporarily suspended this summer before releasing it last month amid bipartisan pressure from Congress — involved a lack of European assistance to the country. “Why isn’t Europe helping Ukraine more?” Mr. Trump said. “Why is it always the United States?” |
| Members of Congress have called on the White House to release the transcript of Mr. Trump’s call with Mr. Zelensky, and Democrats were moving aggressively on Monday to use their oversight powers to compel the administration to comply with their requests. | Members of Congress have called on the White House to release the transcript of Mr. Trump’s call with Mr. Zelensky, and Democrats were moving aggressively on Monday to use their oversight powers to compel the administration to comply with their requests. |
| In multiple comments to reporters, Mr. Trump sought to deflect attention from his actions and tarnish Mr. Biden, a leading contender for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination. | In multiple comments to reporters, Mr. Trump sought to deflect attention from his actions and tarnish Mr. Biden, a leading contender for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination. |
| “What Biden did is a disgrace. What his son did is a disgrace,” Mr. Trump said. He later added, angrily: “If a Republican ever did what Joe Biden did, if a Republican ever said what Joe Biden said, they’d be getting the electric chair right now.” | “What Biden did is a disgrace. What his son did is a disgrace,” Mr. Trump said. He later added, angrily: “If a Republican ever did what Joe Biden did, if a Republican ever said what Joe Biden said, they’d be getting the electric chair right now.” |
| Between events at the United Nations complex, Mr. Trump also tweeted an attack against his accusers as “stone cold Crooked.” And he implied that an unnamed intelligence community whistle-blower who filed a secret complaint about his behavior, based in part on his dealings with Ukraine, might be a traitor: “Is he on our Country’s side,” Mr. Trump wrote. “Where does he come from.” | Between events at the United Nations complex, Mr. Trump also tweeted an attack against his accusers as “stone cold Crooked.” And he implied that an unnamed intelligence community whistle-blower who filed a secret complaint about his behavior, based in part on his dealings with Ukraine, might be a traitor: “Is he on our Country’s side,” Mr. Trump wrote. “Where does he come from.” |
| The identity of that whistle-blower, whom Mr. Trump last week accused of being “partisan,” is not publicly known. The acting director of national intelligence, Joseph Maguire, is refusing to share the person’s complaint with Congress, as required by law, prompting a growing number of Democrats to consider calling for Mr. Trump’s impeachment. | The identity of that whistle-blower, whom Mr. Trump last week accused of being “partisan,” is not publicly known. The acting director of national intelligence, Joseph Maguire, is refusing to share the person’s complaint with Congress, as required by law, prompting a growing number of Democrats to consider calling for Mr. Trump’s impeachment. |
| Mr. Trump also alleged to reporters here, without offering proof, that Hunter Biden, an international business consultant during his father’s time in office, “took money” from China, and suggested that the former vice president would strike a softer line toward Beijing as a result. China, Mr. Trump said, “can think of nothing they’d rather see than Biden get in.” | Mr. Trump also alleged to reporters here, without offering proof, that Hunter Biden, an international business consultant during his father’s time in office, “took money” from China, and suggested that the former vice president would strike a softer line toward Beijing as a result. China, Mr. Trump said, “can think of nothing they’d rather see than Biden get in.” |
| There is no evidence that the younger Mr. Biden’s business dealings have had any effect on his father’s public policy positions. Mr. Trump has seized on the elder Mr. Biden’s insistence in 2016 that Ukraine fire its top prosecutor at a time when a Ukrainian company on whose board Hunter Biden sat was suspected of criminal activity. But that prosecutor was widely seen as corrupt himself and was not aggressively pursuing a case against the company, Burisma Holdings. | There is no evidence that the younger Mr. Biden’s business dealings have had any effect on his father’s public policy positions. Mr. Trump has seized on the elder Mr. Biden’s insistence in 2016 that Ukraine fire its top prosecutor at a time when a Ukrainian company on whose board Hunter Biden sat was suspected of criminal activity. But that prosecutor was widely seen as corrupt himself and was not aggressively pursuing a case against the company, Burisma Holdings. |
| Mr. Trump kicked off his diplomacy here in the morning with a brief visit to a special session on climate change attended by several major world leaders, including Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany and Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India. Mr. Trump, who had not been expected to attend, stayed for less than 15 minutes, and wrote on Twitter about the Ukraine scandal minutes after departing. | Mr. Trump kicked off his diplomacy here in the morning with a brief visit to a special session on climate change attended by several major world leaders, including Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany and Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India. Mr. Trump, who had not been expected to attend, stayed for less than 15 minutes, and wrote on Twitter about the Ukraine scandal minutes after departing. |
| Mr. Trump then led another special session, on international religious freedom, at which he called upon “nations of the world to end religious persecution.” | Mr. Trump then led another special session, on international religious freedom, at which he called upon “nations of the world to end religious persecution.” |
| “Stop the crimes against people of faith, release prisoners of conscience, repeal laws restricting freedom of religion and belief, protect the vulnerable,” Mr. Trump said. The administration said Monday that the Trump administration would “dedicate an additional $25 million to protect religious freedom and religious sites and relics.” | “Stop the crimes against people of faith, release prisoners of conscience, repeal laws restricting freedom of religion and belief, protect the vulnerable,” Mr. Trump said. The administration said Monday that the Trump administration would “dedicate an additional $25 million to protect religious freedom and religious sites and relics.” |
| Mr. Trump was introduced at the event by Vice President Mike Pence, who said being at the session was “among the greatest honors I’ve ever had.” Mr. Pence and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, both evangelical Christians, have emphasized the cause of religious freedom in American foreign policy, drawing criticism that they have favored Christians over other religious groups, including Muslims. | Mr. Trump was introduced at the event by Vice President Mike Pence, who said being at the session was “among the greatest honors I’ve ever had.” Mr. Pence and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, both evangelical Christians, have emphasized the cause of religious freedom in American foreign policy, drawing criticism that they have favored Christians over other religious groups, including Muslims. |
| Mr. Trump met in the afternoon with the prime minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan, and pledged to increase trade between the countries. After Mr. Khan denounced India for revoking the autonomy of the disputed border territory of Kashmir, Mr. Trump said he was willing to help mediate the dispute if both Pakistan and India were open to the idea. | Mr. Trump met in the afternoon with the prime minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan, and pledged to increase trade between the countries. After Mr. Khan denounced India for revoking the autonomy of the disputed border territory of Kashmir, Mr. Trump said he was willing to help mediate the dispute if both Pakistan and India were open to the idea. |
| Mr. Trump also drew a contrast between Pakistani reporters who asked him several questions with an upbeat tone about their country’s dispute with India over Kashmir. | Mr. Trump also drew a contrast between Pakistani reporters who asked him several questions with an upbeat tone about their country’s dispute with India over Kashmir. |
| “I do appreciate the tremendous spirit of the press,” he told Mr. Khan. “I don’t see that with us. Ours always tear our country down. With your press they want to see something positive in the country.” | “I do appreciate the tremendous spirit of the press,” he told Mr. Khan. “I don’t see that with us. Ours always tear our country down. With your press they want to see something positive in the country.” |
| In his session with Mr. Duda, Mr. Trump signed a defense cooperation agreement between the United States and Poland, but did not explain its contents, saying, “We are going to be cooperating in so many different ways.” | In his session with Mr. Duda, Mr. Trump signed a defense cooperation agreement between the United States and Poland, but did not explain its contents, saying, “We are going to be cooperating in so many different ways.” |
| The meetings were the first of more than a dozen sit-downs Mr. Trump had scheduled with world leaders here — including with Mr. Zelensky of Ukraine, whom he will see Wednesday. | The meetings were the first of more than a dozen sit-downs Mr. Trump had scheduled with world leaders here — including with Mr. Zelensky of Ukraine, whom he will see Wednesday. |