White House Releases Transcript of a Second Call Between Trump and Ukraine President
The White House on Friday released a transcript of another call between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
This call occurred in April, months before the now-famous July 25 call between the two leaders that sparked a whistleblower complaint and, eventually, a Democratic-led impeachment inquiry into Trump.
The most recent transcript is significant in that it includes nothing to back up the claim that Trump suggested a quid pro quo.
House Democrats have claimed the president planned to withhold military aid from Ukraine until that nation’s government investigated Democratic presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden and his son Hunter.
While he was vice president, Joe Biden pressured Ukraine to fire a prosecutor who had investigated Burisma Holdings, an energy company where Hunter served on the board.
But the U.S. military aid to Ukraine was released in September without Ukraine launching an investigation into the Bidens.
Trump’s critics also say that a potential White House visit by Zelensky was part of the quid pro quo, at least in part contingent on Ukraine investigating the Bidens.
Neither military aid nor the Bidens are mentioned in the transcript of the April 21 call between the two leaders, which took place after Zelensky won the Ukrainian presidential election.
However, Trump did invite Zelensky to the White House — without attaching any strings.
“When you’re settled in and ready, I’d like to invite you to the White House,” Trump told Zelensky. “We’ll have a lot of things to talk about, but we’re with you all the way.”
Zelensky gladly accepted.
“Well, thank you for the invitation,” he said. “We accept the invitation and look forward to the visit. Thank you again. The whole team and I are looking forward to that visit.”
Trump posted the transcript to his Twitter account:
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 15, 2019
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 15, 2019
The call, which the transcript says lasted 16 minutes, largely consisted of the two leaders complimenting each other and exchanging pleasantries.
The bottom of the memo does note that it is “not a verbatim transcript of a discussion.”
“I’d like to congratulate you on a job well done, and congratulations on a fantastic election,” Trump told Zelensky.
The Ukrainian president-elect replied: “Good to hear from you. Thank you so very much. It’s very nice to hear from you, and I appreciate the congratulations.”
Trump said he thought Zelensky would do a “great job.”
“I think you will do a great job,” he said.
“I have many friends in Ukraine who know you and like you.”
Zelensky also invited Trump to attend his inauguration, and Trump replied that at the very least, the U.S. would send a representative “at a very, very high level” to the event.
Energy Secretary Rick Perry ended up attending, according to CNN.
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