Read the declassified whistleblower complaint alleging abuse of power by Trump

(Image credit: Jacquelyn Martin/AP)

published 26 September 2019

The highly-anticipated whistleblower complaint alleging abuses of power by President Trump is here.

Released online Thursday, the declassified complaint is based on the account of more than half a dozen U.S. officials over a period of four months, and it alleges that "the president of the United States is using the power of his office to solicit interference from a foreign country in the 2020 U.S. election."

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But it also goes on to allege that in the days following the call, senior White House officials "intervened to 'lock down' all records of the phone call" and that White House officials were "'directed' by White House lawyers to remove the electronic transcript from the computer system in which such transcripts are typically stored for coordination, finalization, and distribution to Cabinet-level officials."

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Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.

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