Two days after his acquittal by the Senate, US President Donald Trump sacked two members of his administration on Friday February 7, several American media reported. Lieutenant-Colonel Alexander Vindman and diplomat Gordon Sondland, both witnesses in the impeachment investigation against the President.
The officer "Was escorted outside the White House, said his lawyer David Pressman. He was asked to leave because he told the truth. "I'm not happy with him"said Donald Trump earlier in an exchange with journalists.
Gordon Sondland, he said in a press release, notably relayed by the New york times : "I was informed today that the President intends to call me back, immediately, as American Ambassador to the European Union. "
The diplomat, who frequently exchanged with the Republican president, had notably explained, during a public hearing in November, having told the Ukrainians that they had to announce an investigation into Joe Biden to receive military aid of nearly $ 400 million frozen by the White House. Following his testimony, Donald Trump said he did not know him well.
Alexander Vindman had listened to the phone call live
Alexander Vindman, born in Ukraine and arrived in the United States at the age of 3, has worked since 2018 as a consultant for European affairs in the National Security Council at the White House.
In July he listened to the phone call in which Donald Trump asked his Ukrainian counterpart to investigate his Democratic rival Joe Biden. Judging the motion "Inappropriate", he then decided to alert presidential lawyers who had not acted on his report. In November, he returned to this episode during a very embarrassing congressional hearing for the president.
"He served his country even if it put him in danger, noted his lawyer. Because of this, the most powerful man in the world, encouraged by the mufflers, the malleable and the accomplices, decided to take revenge. " The lieutenant colonel will return to work at the Pentagon, but the nature of his future position has not yet been defined.
These "reprisals" denounced by elected Democrats
Elected Democrats immediately denounced these "Reprisal" from the President. "Ambassador Sondland and Lieutenant-Colonel Alexander Vindman are courageous public servants, heroes and patriots", wrote on Twitter Mark DeSaulnier, elected Democrat of California. "Trump's revenge against them for telling the truth is an action worthy of dictators and criminals, not the president of the world's largest democracy. "
Trump’s retaliation against them for telling the truth is the action of dictators and criminals not the President o… https://t.co/pyvvehrgwi
The dismissal of the two men "Is another abuse of power on the part of the president", said Oregon Senator Ron Wyden.
Donald Trump was acquitted in the Senate on Wednesday of the charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress which weighed against him in the Ukrainian affair.
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