‘Patriot’ testifies against Trump’s version of call

A US Army officer serving at the White House told the impeachment inquiry President Donald Trump’s effort to have Ukraine investigate his Democrat rival Joe Biden ‘‘undermined national security’’.

Alexander Vindman, a lieutenant colonel who was injured in Iraq, gave evidence behind closed doors to Congressional committees investigating the president.

Vindman was the first person to testify who personally listened in to a July 25 phone call between Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president, which is at the heart of the controversy.

Vindman was so alarmed that he reported the call to a White House lawyer. He had previously reported similar concerns to a superior on July 10.

Vindman is the

director

of

European affairs on the White House’s National Security Council. He was the first serving White House official to give evidence, and arrived for the private hearing in full military uniform.

The soldier and diplomat said: ‘‘I was concerned by the [July 25] call. 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.’’

He told the inquiry that Trump’s approach had been a ‘‘partisan play’’ and ‘‘would undermine US national security’’.

Democrats have argued that, in the phone call, Trump offered a ‘‘quid pro quo’’ to the Ukrainian leader – investigate Biden for alleged corruption and the US would release US$400 million in military aid to Ukraine. Trump denies the accusation. As the witness was giving evidence, Trump called him a

Army Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Vindman, a military officer at the National Security Council, centre, arrives on Capitol Hill in Washington to appear before a House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, and Committee on Oversight and Reform joint interview with the transcript to be part of the impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump. ‘‘Never Trumper’’. The president wrote on Twitter: ‘‘Why are people that I never even heard of testifying about the call. Was he on the same call that I was? Can’t be possible!’’

Vindman was himself born in Ukraine, arriving in the US aged 3. Some of Trump’s allies have questioned his loyalties but senior Republicans called it ‘‘shameful’’ to doubt the patriotism of a decorated US soldier.

In his written opening statement, Vindman told the impeachment inquiry: ‘‘I am a patriot, and it is my sacred duty and honour to advance and defend our country, irrespective of party or politics.’’

His evidence came a day after Nancy Pelosi, the Democrat Speaker of the House, said there would be a vote to formalise procedures for the impeachment investigation, which could include televised hearings.

– Telegraph Group