Defiant Trump bars ambassador from testifying at impeachment inquiry

Donald Trump has been accused of obstruction after he prevented the US ambassador to the European Union from testifying to congressional impeachment hearings.

Gordon Sondland had been due to testify about the controversy over Trump’s call with the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky.

Sondland was a pivotal figure in the interactions between the Trump administration and Ukraine.

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However, describing the hearings as a “kangaroo court”, the US president barred him from attending, in what CNN calls a “provocative new effort to thwart Democrats in their impeachment inquiry”.

The first sign of trouble came yesterday morning when Sondland’s attorney, Robert Luskin, said his client had been instructed by the state department not to attend. Luskin said Sondland had been keen to answer questions from the House and was “profoundly disappointed that he will not be able to testify”.

Hours later, Trump took to Twitter to reveal he had ordered Sondland not to co-operate. He wrote: “I would love to send Ambassador Sondland, a really good man and great American, to testify, but unfortunately he would be testifying before a totally compromised kangaroo court, where Republicans’ rights have been taken away, and true facts are not allowed out for the public to see.”

The Guardian says that the White House “appears to have calculated that Sondland’s testimony might be more damaging than facing the wrath of the House over his absence”.

Or perhaps this move simply shows that Team Trump is taking the gloves off. As an anonymous White House source put it yesterday: “The days of playing nice are done.”

In response to the blockade, Adam Schiff, the Democratic chair of the House intelligence committee, described Sondland as “an important witness” and said Trump’s move was “obstruction.”

The impeachment inquiry is examining evidence that Trump withheld security assistance funds and a promised White House visit for President Volodymyr Zelensky until he agreed to open investigations into Joe Biden and his son Hunter regarding their business dealings in Ukraine.

Just days ago, it was reported that “multiple” whistleblowers have now come forward in connection with the claims, piling yet more pressure onto Trump.

However, publicly at least Trump is remaining defiant. He has insisted he is “not at all worried” by the developments. “The people understand it's a scam,” he said earlier this week.

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