Sondland drops ‘bombshell’ at Trump impeachment inquiry
Ambassador implicates president in a ‘quid pro quo’ scheme to pressure Ukraine
The US ambassador to the EU has stunned Washington with a testimony claiming that Donald Trump demanded favours from Ukraine’s leader in exchange for US military aid and an invitation to the White House.
Giving evidence before the House Intelligence Committee on Capitol Hill, Gordon Sondland “wrote his name in history” and “triggered a turning point” in the impeachment inquiry into the president, says CNN.
In his opening statement on Wednesday, Sondland - a Republican, a Trump donor and a high-profile ambassador unanimously confirmed by the Republican Senate - stepped on nearly all of GOP’s primary defences for the president, says the Washington Post.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The ambassador declared: “I know that members of this committee frequently frame these complicated issues in the form of a simple question: was there a quid pro quo? As I testified previously... the answer is yes.”
In effect, says CNN, “one of President Donald Trump’s political appointees confirmed the core allegation of the entire scandal: that he conditioned aid and recognition for Ukraine on personal favors that could help him in his 2020 re-election campaign”.
The president is accused of twisting the arm of Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky - threatening to withhold a significant tranche of military aid and to block White House visits - in an alleged bid to get the European country to dig up dirt on Democrat rival Joe Biden.
Sondland also broadened the scope of the conspiracy, telling the lawmakers that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Energy Secretary Rick Perry, Vice President Mike Pence and acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney were all “in the loop”.
As jaws dropped, Sondland said Trump’s personal attorney, Rudy Giuliani, pushed the demand that Ukraine publicly announce an investigation of Biden and his son, Hunter. “Mr Giuliani was expressing the desires of the president of the United States, and we knew that these investigations were important to the president,” Sondland testified.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––For a round-up of the most important stories from around the world - and a concise, refreshing and balanced take on the week’s news agenda - try The Week magazine. Start your trial subscription today –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
The significance of this testimony has not been lost on the media.
The BBC said that Sondland had “fired a torpedo that has blown a hole in the White House’s defences”, while several newspapers called it a “bombshell”.
George Conway, a lawyer, drew comparison with a pivotal figure in the Watergate hearings that led to Richard Nixon’s resignation. “This is a John Dean moment,” he wrote on Twitter. “It will live forever in American political history.”
Democrat Adam Schiff, the Committee chairman, told Sondland: “This is a seminal moment in our investigation and the evidence you have brought forward is deeply significant and troubling.”
However, Devin Nunes, the top Republican on the House intelligence committee, has shrugged off the “supposed bombshells” in the testimony, adding: “In their mania to attack the president, no conspiracy theory is too outlandish for the Democrats.”
Speaking to the press, Trump later “ignored the bulk of the testimony offered by Mr. Sondland” and focused on a phonecall he had shared with Sondland in which denied wanting a quid pro quo, says The New York Times. Speaking in third person, he claimed that this part of the evidence in fact vindicated him. “I think it was fantastic,” he said. “They have to end it now. There was no quid pro quo. The president did absolutely nothing wrong.”
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Quiz of The Week: 16 - 22 November
Have you been paying attention to The Week's news?
By The Week Staff Published
-
The week's best photos
In Pictures Firing shells, burning ballots, and more
By Anahi Valenzuela, The Week US Published
-
Damian Barr shares his favourite books
The Week Recommends The writer and broadcaster picks works by Alice Walker, Elif Shafak and others
By The Week UK Published
-
Brendan Carr, Trump's FCC pick, takes aim at Big Tech
In the Spotlight The next FCC commissioner wants to end content moderation practices on social media sites
By David Faris Published
-
'This needs to be a bigger deal'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
The political latitude of Musk's cost-cutting task force
Talking Points A $2 trillion goal. And big obstacles in the way.
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
John Prescott: was he Labour's last link to the working class?
Today's Big Quesiton 'A total one-off': tributes have poured in for the former deputy PM and trade unionist
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
New York DA floats 4-year Trump sentencing freeze
Speed Read President-elect Donald Trump's sentencing is on hold, and his lawyers are pushing to dismiss the case while he's in office
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Last hopes for justice for UK's nuclear test veterans
Under the Radar Thousands of ex-service personnel say their lives have been blighted by aggressive cancers and genetic mutations
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
'It may not be surprising that creative work is used without permission'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
What message is Trump sending with his Cabinet picks?
TODAY'S BIG QUESTION By nominating high-profile loyalists like Matt Gaetz and RFK Jr., is Trump serious about creating a functioning Cabinet, or does he have a different plan in mind?
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published