Donald Trump cared more about investigations than Ukraine, says top US ambassador

The top United States Ambassador to Ukraine, William Taylor's testimony on impeachment inquiry against US President Donald Trump was televised on November 13. Taylor mentioned a previously undisclosed phone call between the US leader with US Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland, which one of his staff members overheard on July 26. President Trump had mentioned 'the investigations' in the phone call to which Sondland responded that 'Ukrainian government was 'ready to move forward'. 

Adam Schiff, the Deputy Chairman of House Intelligence Committee had asked Taylor if his testimony meant that President Trump cared more about the investigations than Ukraine to which Taylor replied by saying, 'Yes, Sir'.

Read - US: Official Who Overheard Trump-Gordon Sondland Call To Testify

'More alarming'

Taylor also confessed that he was alarmed to learn about the terms on security assistance which was being provided to Ukraine, as the country already at war. According to the top US Ambassador to Ukraine, there is a difference between leveraging a meeting in the White House as compared to the security assistance to a country that is dependent on the aide as well as the support. Furthermore, since he also said that he had not directly heard the call between President Trump and Sondland, Republicans call it 'second-hand evidence' and on another hand, Democrats still call it a 'betrayal to the Constitution'. 

“It's one thing to try to leverage a meeting in the White House. It's another thing, I thought, to leverage security assistance - security assistance to a country at war, dependent on both the security assistance and the demonstration of support. It was much more alarming,” Taylor said.

Read - Donald Trump To Release Transcript Of April Call With Ukraine President

Televised impeachment hearings

The House Intelligence Committee will finally hold the first public hearing of impeachment inquiry against United States President Donald Trump which will be televised on November 13 and 15. Adam Schiff, the Chairman of House Intelligence Committee said that the first open hearings will be from William Taylor and George Kent on Wednesday followed by Marie Yovanovitch's testimony on Friday. According to Schiff, there are a number of 'impeachable offences' committed by Donald Trump including high crimes and misdemeanours. President Trump will be the third US president who might get impeached after Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton in 1868 and 1998 respectively. 

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