‘I have the right to remove insubordinate NSC aide’

O Trump defends move to ouster impeachment probe witnessVindman

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump on Saturday defended the ouster of impeachment witness Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Vindman from the White House National Security Council (NSC), calling him “insubordinate” and saying he had incorrectly reported the contents of Trump’s “perfect” telephone calls.

Vindman, who was ousted by the administration on Friday, was one of two witnesses who provided some of the most damaging testimony during Trump’s impeachment investigation.

Trump tweeted that “Fake News” media kept “talking about ‘Lt Col’ Vindman as though I should think only how wonderful he was.

“Actually, I don’t know him, never spoke to him, or met him (I don’t believe!) but, he was very insubordinate, reported contents of my ‘perfect’ calls incorrectly,” Trump said.

Trump added that Vindman was “given a horrendous report by his superior, the man he reported to, who publicly stated that Vindman had problems with judgment, adhering to the chain of command and leaking information”. “In other words, ‘OUT’”.

Hours after Vindman was escorted from the White House on Friday, Gordon Sondland, another key impeachment witness, said he had been ousted from his post as US ambassador to the European Union.

Vindman was among officials who listened to a July 25 call between Trump and Ukraine’s president Volodimir Zelenskiy. That conversation was at the centre of the impeachment probe. Vindman testified that he went immediately to the NSC’s chief lawyer to express concern about it.

Vindman’s attorney, David Pressman, rejected the president’s statements about his client as “obviously false”.

“While the most powerful man in the world continues his campaign of intimidation, while too many entrusted with political office continue to remain silent, Lieutenant Colonel Vindman continues his service to our country as a decorated, active duty member of our military.”

The Pentagon referred a request for comment on Trump’s tweets to the Army, which repeated a statement from Friday that both Vindman and his brother had been reassigned to the Department of the Army.

Vindman’s twin brother Yevgeny, who worked as a lawyer at the NSC and is also a lieutenant colonel, was also escorted out of the White House on Friday. – Reuters