This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2019/oct/29/trump-news-today-live-impeachment-inquiry-alexander-vindman-ukraine-call-latest-updates
The article has changed 13 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Ukraine expert to give first-hand testimony on Trump-Zelenskiy call – live | Ukraine expert to give first-hand testimony on Trump-Zelenskiy call – live |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Democrats are already rushing to defend Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman after the president dismissed the national security council official as a “Never Trumper.” | |
| Lt. Colonel Vindman has spent his life in service to the United States.He served our country in the @USArmy, deployed on multiple tours, and earned the Purple Heart after a roadside bomb attack in Iraq.His patriotism and integrity are unquestionable. pic.twitter.com/x5WNnt7oFH | |
| Vindman also reportedly intends to tell impeachment investigators in his opening statement: “For over twenty years as an active duty United States military officer and diplomat, I have served this country in a nonpartisan manner, and have done so with the utmost respect and professionalism for both Republican and Democratic administrations.” | |
| Vindman, who served in Iraq and received a Purple Heart after being wounded by an IED, plans to tell the congressional committees that Trump’s call with the Ukrainian president made him concerned the White House was jeopardizing US alliances by trying to advance its political interests. | |
| Lt Col Alexander Vindman has arrived on Capitol Hill to testify to the committees leading House Democrats’ impeachment inquiry against Trump. | |
| Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, the White House National Security Council's top expert on Ukraine, hs arrived for his closed-door joint deposition before the House Intel, Oversight and Foreign Affairs Committees as part of the ongoing impeachment inquiry pic.twitter.com/GXz2tQDRoD | |
| The national security council official reportedly intends to tell impeachment investigators about Trump’s phone call with the Ukrainian president and his concerns about the commander-in-chief seeking an investigation into his political rival, Joe Biden. | |
| Trump has now weighed in on the looming testimony of Alexander Vindman, the national security council official who reportedly intends to tell impeachment investigators that the president’s Ukraine call made him worried the White House was jeopardizing foreign policy to advance its political interests. | |
| Without mentioning Vindman’s name, the president dismissed the official, who has served in Iraq and received a Purple Heart after being wounded in an IED attack, as a “Never Trumper”. | |
| How many more Never Trumpers will be allowed to testify about a perfectly appropriate phone call when all anyone has to do is READ THE TRANSCRIPT! I knew people were listening in on the call (why would I say something inappropriate?), which was fine with me, but why so many? | |
| Supposedly, according to the Corrupt Media, the Ukraine call “concerned” today’s Never Trumper witness. Was he on the same call that I was? Can’t be possible! Please ask him to read the Transcript of the call. Witch Hunt! | |
| It’s notable how Trump keeps moving the goalposts on what constitutes impeachable testimony. He previously said witnesses who testified to an alleged quid pro quo should be discredited because they did not personally hear the call. | |
| Now, faced with someone who did personally hear the call, Trump is saying that the impeachment investigators should instead refer to the White House “transcript” of the call. However, the “transcript” is actually a White House memo summarizing the call that appeared to cut out much of Trump’s conversation with the Ukrainian president. | |
| Vindman will probably ill in many of the gaps left by that memo in his testimony today. | |
| Good morning, live blog readers! | Good morning, live blog readers! |
| It appears that Donald Trump’s dismissal of House Democrats’ impeachment inquiry as an illegitimate “witch-hunt” based on “hearsay” testimony is unraveling before our eyes. | It appears that Donald Trump’s dismissal of House Democrats’ impeachment inquiry as an illegitimate “witch-hunt” based on “hearsay” testimony is unraveling before our eyes. |
| Lt Col Alexander S. Vindman, a top Ukraine expert on the national security council, reportedly intends to tell the House committees leading the impeachment inquiry that Trump’s call with the leader of Ukraine made him deeply concerned the president was jeopardizing key foreign policy in the hope of triggering an investigation into his political rival, Joe Biden. | |
| Vindman will be the first witness to provide impeachment investigators with a first-hand account of the controversial phone call that kicked off the formal inquiry. According to a draft of his opening statement first obtained by the New York Times, the national security official will tell the House committees this morning: “I did not think it was proper to demand that a foreign government investigate a US citizen, and I was worried about the implications for the US government’s support of Ukraine.” | Vindman will be the first witness to provide impeachment investigators with a first-hand account of the controversial phone call that kicked off the formal inquiry. According to a draft of his opening statement first obtained by the New York Times, the national security official will tell the House committees this morning: “I did not think it was proper to demand that a foreign government investigate a US citizen, and I was worried about the implications for the US government’s support of Ukraine.” |
| Vindman’s testimony will be the second major blow to Trump’s impeachment defense in less than 24 hours. Nancy Pelosi announced yesterday that House Democrats would introduce a resolution to formalize impeachment procedures, marking the first chamber-wide vote on the inquiry. | Vindman’s testimony will be the second major blow to Trump’s impeachment defense in less than 24 hours. Nancy Pelosi announced yesterday that House Democrats would introduce a resolution to formalize impeachment procedures, marking the first chamber-wide vote on the inquiry. |
| For weeks, Trump and his allies have derided the impeachment investigation by arguing that the inquiry is an illegitimate scam because the House never formally voted to launch the proceedings. Trump has also dismissed all of the testimony of an alleged quid pro quo as baseless hearsay. | For weeks, Trump and his allies have derided the impeachment investigation by arguing that the inquiry is an illegitimate scam because the House never formally voted to launch the proceedings. Trump has also dismissed all of the testimony of an alleged quid pro quo as baseless hearsay. |
| It appears that both of those points will be addressed this week. So how will Trump now defend himself against the investigation? And what else will Vindman have to say? | It appears that both of those points will be addressed this week. So how will Trump now defend himself against the investigation? And what else will Vindman have to say? |
| Here’s what else the blog is keeping its eye on: | Here’s what else the blog is keeping its eye on: |
| Trump will have lunch with the secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, and meet the 2019 recipients of the Presidential Award for Extraordinary Efforts to Combat Trafficking. He will later address donors at his Washington hotel. | Trump will have lunch with the secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, and meet the 2019 recipients of the Presidential Award for Extraordinary Efforts to Combat Trafficking. He will later address donors at his Washington hotel. |
| The treasury secretary, Steven Mnuchin, will continue his Middle East trip with meetings in Israel and Saudi Arabia. | The treasury secretary, Steven Mnuchin, will continue his Middle East trip with meetings in Israel and Saudi Arabia. |
| Game six of the World Series will take place in Houston, where the Astros have a chance to win the championship against the Washington Nationals. | Game six of the World Series will take place in Houston, where the Astros have a chance to win the championship against the Washington Nationals. |
| The blog will have plenty more coming up, so stay tuned. | The blog will have plenty more coming up, so stay tuned. |