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| Trump impeachment hearing: witnesses deny being 'never-Trumpers' – live | Trump impeachment hearing: witnesses deny being 'never-Trumpers' – live |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Bill Taylor and George Kent testify in first day of public impeachment inquiry – follow for live updates | Bill Taylor and George Kent testify in first day of public impeachment inquiry – follow for live updates |
| Trump on Syria: “There for the oil” | |
| Donald Trump has insisted that the US military presence in Syria is “only for the oil”, contradicting his own officials who have insisted that the remaining forces were there to fight Isis, Guardian US world affairs editor Julian Borger writes. | |
| Trump made his remarks while hosting Recep Tayyip Erdogan, just over a month after the Turkish president launched an offensive into northeastern Syria, which has been formally condemned as destabilising by state department officials. | |
| Sitting alongside Erdogan, Trump contradicted his own officials and the Republican leadership on a range of issues, most importantly on the US military mission in Syria. | |
| Following Trump’s earlier insistence that his administration was solely interested in “keeping” Syrian oil, the US military deployed mechanised military units to oil fields in the east of the country. | |
| However, seizing or benefiting from oil on a foreign territory, without permission from the sovereign authority, would be a violation of international law. Several US officials had sought to interpret the president’s remarks as the US meant to meaning that the denying Isis access to the oil. | |
| The US special envoy on Syria, James Jeffrey, said on Monday: “US forces in northeastern Syria are there under an authorisation to fight terrorism specifically to ensure the enduring defeat of ISIS. That is their overall mission.” | |
| Julian’s full story is here. | |
| Donald Trump and Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan are holding a press conference in the White House now. | |
| That’s it from me on this historic day. My Guardian colleagues will take over the blog for the next few hours. | |
| Here’s where the day stands after the first public hearing in the impeachment inquiry: | |
| Bill Taylor, the acting US ambassador to Ukraine, testified that one of his aides overheard a conversation between Trump and Gordon Sondland where the president asked the US ambassador to the EU about “the investigations” in Ukraine. According to Taylor, Sondland told the aide that Trump cared more about investigations into Joe Biden and his son than other US-Ukrainian policies. | |
| David Holmes, the aide who reportedly overheard the conversation between Trump and Sondland, has been asked to appear for a closed-door deposition with impeachment investigators on Friday. | |
| Republican allies of Trump tried to paint the testimony of Taylor and George Kent as the result of hearsay, noting that neither official had spoken with the president. (But Trump has tried to block his closest aides from testifying in the inquiry.) | |
| On a non-impeachment note: Deval Patrick has reportedly decided to launch a 2020 bid. However, the former Democratic governor of Massachusetts faces long odds given his late entry and need to fundraise. | |
| The blog will have much more coming up, so stay tuned. | |
| The motion from Republican representative Mike Conaway to subpoena the whistleblower whose complaint sparked the impeachment inquiry was defeated on a party-line vote. | The motion from Republican representative Mike Conaway to subpoena the whistleblower whose complaint sparked the impeachment inquiry was defeated on a party-line vote. |
| With that, the first public hearing in the impeachment inquiry has concluded. The next hearing is scheduled for Friday morning, when former US ambassador to Ukraine Maria Yovanovitch will testify publicly. | With that, the first public hearing in the impeachment inquiry has concluded. The next hearing is scheduled for Friday morning, when former US ambassador to Ukraine Maria Yovanovitch will testify publicly. |
| Three major US newspapers highlighted the new testimony from Bill Taylor in their homepage headlines about the first public impeachment hearing. | Three major US newspapers highlighted the new testimony from Bill Taylor in their homepage headlines about the first public impeachment hearing. |
| New York Times: “Impeachment Testimony: ‘Trump Cares More About the Investigations of Biden.’” | New York Times: “Impeachment Testimony: ‘Trump Cares More About the Investigations of Biden.’” |
| Washington Post: “New testimony ties Trump more directly to Ukraine pressure.” | Washington Post: “New testimony ties Trump more directly to Ukraine pressure.” |
| Wall Street Journal: “Envoy Reveals New Call in Impeachment Testimony as GOP Defends Trump.” | Wall Street Journal: “Envoy Reveals New Call in Impeachment Testimony as GOP Defends Trump.” |
| Taylor testified that one of his aides overheard Trump asking about “the investigations” in Ukraine and that Gordon Sondland, the US ambassador to the EU, said the president cared more about the probes into Joe Biden and his son than other US-Ukrainian policies. | Taylor testified that one of his aides overheard Trump asking about “the investigations” in Ukraine and that Gordon Sondland, the US ambassador to the EU, said the president cared more about the probes into Joe Biden and his son than other US-Ukrainian policies. |
| Bill Taylor and George Kent have now concluded their testimony in the first public hearing of the impeachment inquiry after about five and a half hours. | Bill Taylor and George Kent have now concluded their testimony in the first public hearing of the impeachment inquiry after about five and a half hours. |
| Republicans on the committee and Trump’s allies tried to paint the hearing as a “boring” waster of time. However, the homepages of major news outlets would beg to differ. | Republicans on the committee and Trump’s allies tried to paint the hearing as a “boring” waster of time. However, the homepages of major news outlets would beg to differ. |
| Asked about what interests they believed Rudy Giuliani was promoting in Ukraine, George Kent said of the president’s personal lawyer: “I believe he was looking to dig up political dirt against a potential rival.” | Asked about what interests they believed Rudy Giuliani was promoting in Ukraine, George Kent said of the president’s personal lawyer: “I believe he was looking to dig up political dirt against a potential rival.” |
| Reports have indicated Giuliani spent months trying to pressure Ukrainian officials to launch an investigation into Joe Biden and his son, Hunter. | Reports have indicated Giuliani spent months trying to pressure Ukrainian officials to launch an investigation into Joe Biden and his son, Hunter. |
| Republican representative Jim Jordan once again called on the whistleblower whose complaint initiated the impeachment inquiry to testify publicly. | Republican representative Jim Jordan once again called on the whistleblower whose complaint initiated the impeachment inquiry to testify publicly. |
| Adam Schiff has said he remains committed to protecting the anonymity of the whistleblower, and he has already rejected Republicans’ request to have the unnamed official testify. | Adam Schiff has said he remains committed to protecting the anonymity of the whistleblower, and he has already rejected Republicans’ request to have the unnamed official testify. |
| But Democratic representative Peter Welch offered an alternative to Jordan: “I’ll be glad to have the person who started it all come in and testify. President Trump is welcome to take a seat right there.” | But Democratic representative Peter Welch offered an alternative to Jordan: “I’ll be glad to have the person who started it all come in and testify. President Trump is welcome to take a seat right there.” |
| The suggestion prompted chuckles from the Democrats in the room, but Republicans were more reserved in their response. | The suggestion prompted chuckles from the Democrats in the room, but Republicans were more reserved in their response. |
| The blog is briefly interrupting its coverage of the first public hearing in the impeachment inquiry to provide a key update on the 2020 race: former Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick has reportedly decided to enter the Democratic presidential primary. | The blog is briefly interrupting its coverage of the first public hearing in the impeachment inquiry to provide a key update on the 2020 race: former Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick has reportedly decided to enter the Democratic presidential primary. |
| CNN reports: | CNN reports: |
| Although Patrick faces many hurdles in the primary race, his entry indicates that some prominent Democrats remain unsure about their 2020 options. | Although Patrick faces many hurdles in the primary race, his entry indicates that some prominent Democrats remain unsure about their 2020 options. |
| We are (slowly) nearing the end of the first public hearing in the impeachment inquiry. Republican representative Will Hurd has concluded his questioning, and six more Democrats on the committee will be allowed five minutes each. | We are (slowly) nearing the end of the first public hearing in the impeachment inquiry. Republican representative Will Hurd has concluded his questioning, and six more Democrats on the committee will be allowed five minutes each. |
| Correction: A previous version of this post included a tweet identifying Hurd as the last Republican questioner, but he was not. | Correction: A previous version of this post included a tweet identifying Hurd as the last Republican questioner, but he was not. |
| Asked by Democratic representative Eric Swalwell, Bill Taylor and George Kent denied they are “never Trumpers,” as the president has alleged. | Asked by Democratic representative Eric Swalwell, Bill Taylor and George Kent denied they are “never Trumpers,” as the president has alleged. |
| Kent, a longtime state department official, emphasized he has worked under five presidents -- three Republicans and two Democrats -- and has consistently served as a nonpartisan public servant. Taylor was also first nominated as US ambassador to Ukraine by former Republican president George W. Bush. | Kent, a longtime state department official, emphasized he has worked under five presidents -- three Republicans and two Democrats -- and has consistently served as a nonpartisan public servant. Taylor was also first nominated as US ambassador to Ukraine by former Republican president George W. Bush. |
| In response to comments made by acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney, Taylor emphasized it is “wrong” to hold up security assistance for “no good policy reason.” | In response to comments made by acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney, Taylor emphasized it is “wrong” to hold up security assistance for “no good policy reason.” |
| Many of the Democratic presidential candidates have been remarking on today’s impeachment hearings. Here’s what they’ve had to say: | Many of the Democratic presidential candidates have been remarking on today’s impeachment hearings. Here’s what they’ve had to say: |
| Republican representative Chris Stewart opened his questioning of Bill Taylor and George Kent by welcoming Americans to “year four of the impeachment of President Trump.” | Republican representative Chris Stewart opened his questioning of Bill Taylor and George Kent by welcoming Americans to “year four of the impeachment of President Trump.” |
| This echoes a common line of argument among Republicans: that Democrats have been determined to impeach Trump since day one and are searching for any reason to justify his removal from office. | This echoes a common line of argument among Republicans: that Democrats have been determined to impeach Trump since day one and are searching for any reason to justify his removal from office. |
| However, in reality, many House Democrats only came around to supporting an impeachment inquiry in the immediate weeks before Nancy Pelosi formally launched the investigation at the end of September. | However, in reality, many House Democrats only came around to supporting an impeachment inquiry in the immediate weeks before Nancy Pelosi formally launched the investigation at the end of September. |
| Trump’s press secretary is trumpeting efforts by Republicans on the House intelligence committee to paint Bill Taylor and George Kent’s testimony as the result of hearsay, emphasizing that neither ever spoke with the president. | Trump’s press secretary is trumpeting efforts by Republicans on the House intelligence committee to paint Bill Taylor and George Kent’s testimony as the result of hearsay, emphasizing that neither ever spoke with the president. |
| However, a number of commentators responded to Grisham’s argument by noting that the White House has tried to block the testimony of officials who regularly speak to Trump. | However, a number of commentators responded to Grisham’s argument by noting that the White House has tried to block the testimony of officials who regularly speak to Trump. |
| Representative Mike Turner’s combative questioning of Bill Taylor and George Kent represented quite a reversal from a September hearing with the acting director of national intelligence, during which the Republican congressman expressed concern about Trump’s Ukraine call. | Representative Mike Turner’s combative questioning of Bill Taylor and George Kent represented quite a reversal from a September hearing with the acting director of national intelligence, during which the Republican congressman expressed concern about Trump’s Ukraine call. |