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Trump Comments on Vindman Testimony as It Happens: 'I Don't Know Any of These People'

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As Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman testified during the House impeachment inquiry Tuesday, President Donald Trump told the media that he does not know Vindman but will let the rest of the country judge the National Security Council official’s credibility.

“I never saw the man. I understand now he wears his uniform when he goes in,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting, according to The Hill.

“No, I don’t know Vindman at all,” he said. “What I do know is that even he said the transcript was correct.”

Vindman admitted Tuesday that he did not have any direct contact with the president, but said he believed Trump’s July 25 phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was “improper,” The Hill reported.

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Democrats claim the call shows Trump suggested a quid pro quo in which he would withhold military aid from Ukraine until it investigated possible corruption involving Democratic presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden and his son Hunter, who served on the board of the Ukraine energy firm Burisma Holdings.

Do you believe Vindman's testimony was truthful?

“I was concerned by the call. What I heard was inappropriate, and I reported my concerns to Mr. [John] Eisenberg,” Vindman said, referring to the NSC’s legal adviser. “It is improper for the president of the United States to demand a foreign government to investigate a U.S. citizen and a political opponent.

“It was also clear that if Ukraine pursued an investigation into the 2016 election, the Bidens and Burisma, it would be interpreted as a partisan play. This would undoubtedly result in Ukraine losing bipartisan support, undermine U.S. national security and advance Russia’s strategic objectives in the region.”


https://youtu.be/POBP1uwgYDY?t=3880

The White House Twitter account questioned Vindman’s credibility by publishing a quote from Vindman’s former boss, Tom Morrison, who was also scheduled to testify Tuesday.

Trump, however, told reporters that he is going to let people make their own judgments about the witness.

“Vindman, I watched him for a little while this morning, and I think he, I’m going to let people make their own determination,” the president said.

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“I don’t know Vindman,” he said. “I’ve never heard of him. I don’t know any of these people. I have seen one or two a couple of times, their ambassadors.”

Trump also said he didn’t know the other people who have testified in the inquiry.

“I don’t know who [George] Kent is. I don’t know who [William] Taylor is. All these people are talking about they heard a conversation of a conversation of another conversation that was had by the president,” he said.

Following Tuesday’s testimony, White House press secretary Stephanie Grishman said in a statement that in yet another day of hearings, “we have learned nothing new,” according to Fox News.

The president also criticized the entire impeachment inquiry, telling reporters, “What’s going on is a disgrace and it’s an embarrassment to our nation.”

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Erin Coates was an editor for The Western Journal for over two years before becoming a news writer. A University of Oregon graduate, Erin has conducted research in data journalism and contributed to various publications as a writer and editor.
Erin Coates was an editor for The Western Journal for over two years before becoming a news writer. She grew up in San Diego, California, proceeding to attend the University of Oregon and graduate with honors holding a degree in journalism. During her time in Oregon, Erin was an associate editor for Ethos Magazine and a freelance writer for Eugene Magazine. She has conducted research in data journalism, which has been published in the book “Data Journalism: Past, Present and Future.” Erin is an avid runner with a heart for encouraging young girls and has served as a coach for the organization Girls on the Run. As a writer and editor, Erin strives to promote social dialogue and tell the story of those around her.
Birthplace
Tucson, Arizona
Nationality
American
Honors/Awards
Graduated with Honors
Education
Bachelor of Arts in Journalism, University of Oregon
Books Written
Contributor for Data Journalism: Past, Present and Future
Location
Prescott, Arizona
Languages Spoken
English, French
Topics of Expertise
Politics, Health, Entertainment, Faith




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