<p>On Monday, as part of Congress’ impeachment inquiry into whether President Trump withheld military support for Ukraine, legislators released testimony from Christopher Anderson, who served as a top aide for Kurt Volker, the former U.S. special representative for Ukraine negotiations. Anderson stated that President Trump had asked the U.S. Navy to cancel a routine “freedom-of-navigation” operation in the Black Sea, near Ukraine, earlier this year.</p>
<p>But on Wednesday, the U.S. Navy dismissed Anderson’s version of events. “U.S. 6th Fleet conducted our naval operations in the Black Sea region as scheduled in January and February 2019. The U.S. Navy will continue to operate in the Black Sea consistent with international law, to include the Montreaux Convention,” Cmdr. Kyle Raines, a spokesman for Naval Forces Europe-Africa asserted, as <a href="https://www.stripes.com/news/europe/navy-says-it-never-got-a-trump-order-to-stop-patrols-in-black-sea-1.607116">Stars and Stripes</a> reported.</p>
<p>On Monday, <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2019/11/11/what-laura-cooper-told-impeachment-investigators-069364">Politico</a> reported that Anderson recalled an alleged early-2019 conversation in which former national security adviser John Bolton said Trump had complained about a CNN story insinuating the Navy was countering Russian aggression in the Black Sea. Anderson told legislators, “Ambassador Bolton relayed that he was called at home by the president, who complained about this news report.”</p>
<p>Politico added:</p>
<blockquote><p>Anderson described a sense of “Ukraine fatigue” emerging inside the administration that was evident when the Navy launched a routine “freedom-of-navigation” operation in the Black Sea. Anderson said officials notified the Turkish government, and when CNN reported on the move — portraying it as a response to Russia — the White House asked the Navy to cancel the maneuver.</p></blockquote>
<p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-navy-canceled-patrol-trump-said-it-was-hostile-russia-2019-11">Business Insider</a> reported:</p>
<blockquote><p>Anderson said the White House asked the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-navy-birthday-2016-10">Navy</a> to cancel the freedom-of-navigation operation because the report portrayed the operation as a move to counter <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-took-an-israeli-defense-missile-make-its-own-2019-11">Russia</a>, which has increased its naval presence there since annexing Crimea in 2014. In November 2018, its forces attacked Ukrainian assets transiting the Kerch Strait, which connects the Black Sea with the Azov Sea. Russia seized three Ukrainian ships and held 24 Ukrainian service members captive.</p></blockquote>
<p>Business Insider <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/navy-denies-canceling-black-sea-operation-at-trumps-request-2019-11">added</a>, “Anderson said the signal to cancel the Navy operation, combined with reports at the time saying an effort was underway to review all assistance to Ukraine, left some fearing a shift in U.S. policy toward the former Soviet republic.”</p>
<p>Anderson stated, “We met with Ambassador Bolton and discussed this, and he made it clear that the president had called him to complain about that news report. And that may have just been that he was surprised. We don&#8217;t — I can&#8217;t speculate as to why, but that, that operation was canceled, but then we were able to get a second one for later in February. And we had an Arleigh-class destroyer arrive in Odessa on the fifth anniversary of the Crimea invasion.”</p>
<p>Stars and Stripes added, “NAVEUR said Wednesday that no missions in the Black Sea were canceled or aborted in January. The USS Fort McHenry conducted maneuvers in the Black Sea in early January. This was followed by a patrol that month by the USS Donald Cook, which visited Georgia, NAVEUR said. The service carried out similar operations in February.”</p>

<script async src="https://www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<script async src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed.js"></script><div data-widget-host="revcontent" data-pub-id="165152" data-widget-id="290588"></div><script src="https://delivery.revcontent.com/165152/290588/widget.js"></script>

Foreign Service Officer Claims Trump Canceled Navy Operation Near Ukraine. U.S. Navy: That’s Not True.

CONTINUE READING

Purple Heart Hero Levels Radical Dem Who Mocked His War Wounds

NHL Icon Claude Lemieux Dead At 60 After Apparent Suicide

Bari Weiss Is Remaking CBS News And The Left Is Panicking

Iran Hired Americans To Assassinate Famed Dissident. One Just Got Sentenced.

Socialist Mayor Orders Police Union To Scrub Post That Called Her Out

Missouri Supreme Court Hands GOP Another Victory

News and Commentary

U.S. Navy

Ukraine

A video goes viral showing a baby being refused his mother by two gay "dads". This is just the tip of the iceberg, which is why we will have an important discussion today about surrogacy. 

Hour 1

The Matt Walsh Show

Ep. 1765 - This Video Is One Of The Worst Things I've Seen In A Long Time 

The Strait of Hormuz officially opens for business (kind of), the Pope makes “shocking” comments on immigration, and President Trump promises UFO disclosure at TPUSA. 


The Michael Knowles Show

Ep. 1956 -  Pope Leo's "SHOCKING" Immigration Comments EXPLAINED

A false miscreed has corrupted our leadership class.


The Andrew Klavan Show

Ep. 1275 - Dumb, Dumber and Progressive

President Trump announces a 10-day ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel, a murder-suicide involving former Democratic Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax shakes Virginia, and France and Britain hold a conference to secure the Strait of Hormuz – after the Iranian conflict ends. Get the facts first with Morning Wire.

- - -

Ep. 2738

- - -

Wake up with new Morning Wire merch: https://bit.ly/4lIubt3

- - -

Today's Sponsors:

Alliance Defending Freedom - Visit https://JoinADF.com/WIRE or text 'WIRE' to 83848 to learn more.

Pocket Hose - Text MORNING to 64000 to get a FREE pocket pivot and their 10-pattern sprayer with the purchase of ANY size Copper Head hose. Message and data rates may apply.

Morning Wire

U.S. Expands Hormuz Blockade & VA Fairfax Deaths Investigated | 4.17.26

U.S. Expands Hormuz Blockade & VA Fairfax Deaths Investigated | 4.17.26 [Member Exclusive]

A ceasefire goes into effect between Israel and Lebanon, a tragic murder-suicide rocks Virginia, and Dairy Queen deploys AI in the drive-thru. Get the facts first with Evening Wire.
- - -
Ep. 2737
- - -
Wake up with new Morning Wire merch: https://bit.ly/4lIubt3 
- - -
Today’s Sponsor:

Alliance Defending Freedom - Visit https://JoinADF.com/WIRE or text “WIRE” to 83848 to learn more.


Menu

— News and Commentary —

Foreign Service Officer Claims Trump Canceled Navy Operation Near Ukraine. U.S. Navy: That’s Not True.