The wife of retired Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman was ripped and called an &#8220;unhinged maniac&#8221; over a tweet she posted Tuesday attacking Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) and invoking the lawmaker&#8217;s newborn son. 
Rachel Vindman told Stefanik she has &#8220;blood of Ukrainians&#8221; on her &#8220;hands&#8221; and hopes the Republican thinks of Ukrainian moms who lost their children when she holds her &#8220;new baby.&#8221; 
Notably, Stefanik offered <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAyaP7XsiAE">pointed and tight questioning</a> of Alexander Vindman during an impeachment hearing against then-former President Donald Trump. 
&#8220;[Rep. Stefanik] You have the blood of Ukrainians on your hands. When you hold your new baby I want you to think of the mothers of [Ukraine]  who will never see their children again because you abdicated your responsibility to hold Trump accountable for his extortion,&#8221; Rachel posted.
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.<a href="https://twitter.com/RepStefanik?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RepStefanik</a> You have the blood of Ukrainians on your hands. When you hold your new baby I want you to think of the mothers of <a href="https://twitter.com/Ukraine?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Ukraine</a> who will never see their children again because you abdicated your responsibility to hold Trump accountable for his extortion. <a href="https://t.co/9vOpDkoGSw">https://t.co/9vOpDkoGSw</a>
&mdash; Rachel Vindman 🌻 (@natsechobbyist) <a href="https://twitter.com/natsechobbyist/status/1498653920125759492?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 1, 2022</a></blockquote>
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The criticism quickly rolled in. &#8220;Wow, this person is an unhinged maniac. Seek help,&#8221; wrote Garrett Ventry.
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Wow, this person is an unhinged maniac. Seek help. <a href="https://t.co/vYktsVZ7Pl">https://t.co/vYktsVZ7Pl</a>
&mdash; Garrett Ventry (@GarrettVentry) <a href="https://twitter.com/GarrettVentry/status/1498701347109097474?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 1, 2022</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;According to this deranged psychopath, Putin is invading Ukraine because Elise Stefanik didn&#8217;t impeach Trump for &#8216;extortion&#8217; that Zelensky publicly said in 2019 never occurred,&#8221; commented Greg Price.
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According to this deranged psychopath, Putin is invading Ukraine because Elise Stefanik didn&#39;t impeach Trump for &quot;extortion&quot; that Zelensky publicly said in 2019 never occurred. <a href="https://t.co/nh2l2ZQkIk">https://t.co/nh2l2ZQkIk</a>
&mdash; Greg Price (@greg_price11) <a href="https://twitter.com/greg_price11/status/1498710898025902080?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 1, 2022</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;You are a psycho,&#8221; RedState&#8217;s Bonchie said.
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You are a psycho
&mdash; Bonchie (@bonchieredstate) <a href="https://twitter.com/bonchieredstate/status/1498726816005365761?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 1, 2022</a></blockquote>
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The Daily Wire&#8217;s Tim Meads wrote, &#8220;This is pretty gross and delusional.&#8221;
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This is pretty gross and delusional <a href="https://t.co/CH047AXD1E">https://t.co/CH047AXD1E</a>
&mdash; Tim Meads (@TimMeadsUSA) <a href="https://twitter.com/TimMeadsUSA/status/1498697508125655040?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 1, 2022</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;Delete Twitter,&#8221; commented The Blaze&#8217;s Jessica O&#8217;Donnell. &#8220;Get help.&#8221;
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Delete Twitter. Get help. <a href="https://t.co/uguilv4l13">https://t.co/uguilv4l13</a>
&mdash; Jessica O’Donnell (@heckyessica) <a href="https://twitter.com/heckyessica/status/1498708494463246347?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 1, 2022</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;Rachel is not well…,&#8221; said Henry Rodgers, a correspondent at The Daily Caller.
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Rachel is not well… <a href="https://t.co/gbmLXNgGHZ">https://t.co/gbmLXNgGHZ</a>
&mdash; Henry Rodgers (@henryrodgersdc) <a href="https://twitter.com/henryrodgersdc/status/1498745266157101072?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 1, 2022</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;Get your family away from the buffet line and go fight, Rachel,&#8221; blasted writer and commentator David Reaboi. &#8220;See if your husband can teach you how to fire a weapon.&#8221;
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Get your family away from the buffet line and go fight, Rachel. See if your husband can teach you how to fire a weapon. <a href="https://t.co/QOK0KOZaHD">https://t.co/QOK0KOZaHD</a>
&mdash; David Reaboi, Late Republic Nonsense (@davereaboi) <a href="https://twitter.com/davereaboi/status/1498693261795414026?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 1, 2022</a></blockquote>
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One day earlier, Vindman gave his own spin about the conflict in Ukraine, likewise blaming former President Trump.
&#8220;It was trump that undermine U.S. national security &amp; froze military assistance to Ukraine, leaving that lion of a nation, vulnerable to attack. It was Trump’s attacks on NATO that encouraged Putin to believe NATO was fragile,&#8221; Vindman posted to Twitter. &#8220;It was Trump’s support of Putin that suggested the Republican party would rally to Putin’s cause. It was Trumps insurrection, &amp; incitement of discord that suggested the U.S was weak &amp; distracted.&#8221;
&#8220;It was Trumps actions, even within the past few days that undermined President Biden’s effort to avoid this war,&#8221; he added. &#8220;Trump has blood on his hands. Trump dug his own political grave with his corruption, efforts to undermine U.S. national security, &amp; support for petty tyrants.&#8221;
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It was trump that undermine U.S. national security &amp; froze military assistance to Ukraine, leaving that lion of a nation, vulnerable to attack. It was Trump’s attacks on NATO that encouraged Putin to believe NATO was fragile. <a href="https://t.co/lkaPQ875rM">https://t.co/lkaPQ875rM</a>
&mdash; Alexander S. Vindman (@AVindman) <a href="https://twitter.com/AVindman/status/1498324778171568130?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 28, 2022</a></blockquote>
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It was Trumps actions, even within the past few days that undermined President Biden’s effort to avoid this war. Trump has blood on his hands. Trump dug his own political grave with his corruption, efforts to undermine U.S. national security, &amp; support for petty tyrants.
&mdash; Alexander S. Vindman (@AVindman) <a href="https://twitter.com/AVindman/status/1498324780952563724?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 28, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Bonchie, <a href="https://redstate.com/bonchie/2022/02/28/alexander-vindman-goes-full-leroy-jenkins-in-desperate-bid-to-cover-for-joe-biden-n529403">writing</a> at RedState, noted that Trump did send lethal aid to Ukraine and highlighted Trump&#8217;s clear efforts with regard to NATO, namely getting other countries to contribute more to their own defense and to stop enriching Russian President Vladimir Putin.
&#8220;Donald Trump was the first president to actually send lethal aid to Ukraine,&#8221; Bonchie wrote. &#8220;Barack Obama and Joe Biden only mustered blankets and other non-lethal materials. Did Vindman have anything to say about that? Of course not, because Vindman is an absolute hack whose primary goal is to protect Democrat interests. That was obvious during Trump’s impeachment, and it’s obvious now as he forgoes any criticism of Joe Biden to attack the guy who hasn’t been president in over a year.&#8221;
&#8220;As to the idea that Trump’s rhetoric on NATO empowered Putin, that’s ridiculous,&#8221; he continued. &#8220;Trump was trying to get the NATO nations to 1) spend more on defense and 2) stop buying Russian oil and natural gas, which itself empowered Putin. Blowing smoke up the backside of the European leaders has never accomplished anything, and Trump was right to challenge the status quo.&#8221;
&#8220;But where Vindman truly goes full &#8216;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLyOj_QD4a4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Leroy Jenkins</a>&#8216; is when he attempts to blame Biden’s specific failure on Trump,&#8221; Bonchie closed. &#8220;Donald Trump, whatever one may think of him, has had absolutely nothing to do with the fact that the current president has been completely inept. It’s laughable to even suggest that. Further, it’s been Republicans (<a href="https://redstate.com/nick-arama/2022/02/21/cruz-takes-joe-biden-apart-on-russia-he-has-been-best-thing-for-putin-n525597" target="_blank" rel="noopener">including Ted Cruz</a>) who have pushed for heavy sanctions on Russia for months, long before Putin crossed the border. The Biden administration rallied against those. Again, where was Vindman to complain about that?&#8221;
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-driving-force-behind-trumps-impeachment-was-not-the-whistleblower-new-book-alleges">The Driving Force Behind Trump’s Impeachment Was NOT The Whistleblower, New Book Alleges</a>

House Intelligence Committee Continues Open Impeachment Hearings

Alex Vindman’s Wife Called ‘Unhinged Maniac’ For Attack On Rep. Stefanik Invoking Newborn Son

Alexander Vindman

Elise Stefanik

Ukraine

Army Lt. Col. Yevgeny Vindman, whose brother Alexander testified against former President Donald Trump during his first impeachment, is receiving a promotion under the Biden administration.
Vindman will be promoted to colonel, according to <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/15/politics/yevgeny-vindman-to-be-promoted/index.html">CNN</a>. The Army JAG attorney worked as the National Security Council (NSC) ethics attorney in the Trump administration and received critical reviews from members of the Trump administration that alleged Vindman had an “unprofessional demeanor” and was unable “to differentiate between legal and policy decisions.”
Vindman thanked the Biden administration in a statement while continuing his assertions that his negative performance reviews from Trump officials were a form of retaliation for a number of probes he led into their conduct.
“I am deeply grateful for the trust and confidence the U.S. Army and the Judge Advocate General Corps have placed in me with selection for promotion to Colonel. They stood their ground despite intense pressure during the last Administration. I look forward to continuing my service to the U.S. Army and the Nation in positions of increasing responsibility,” Vindman <a href="https://twitter.com/JDiamond1/status/1371795970422403082">said</a>.
“The Department of Defense Inspector General will soon complete its investigation into the malfeasance of former White House officials, one of whom remains in a senior government position. I look forward to reviewing the report, which I hope will lead to accountability for those who retaliated against me for making lawful disclosures of misconduct,” he added.
“Thank you to the many fellow officers, Soldiers, friends, relations and all Americans of good will who supported me and my brother Lieutenant Colonel (ret) Alexander Vindman during this challenging period and throughout my career. My family and I also extend hearty congratulations to my fellow selectees for promotion to colonel,” he concluded.
An April 6, 2020 officer evaluation report from Vindman’s bosses in the White House Counsel’s office, John Eisenberg and Michael Ellis, <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2021/03/15/yevgeny-vindman-promotion-post-trump-476038">said</a> that Vindman was “a hardworking officer, but he frequently lacks judgment and has difficulty understanding the appropriate role of a lawyer in an organization.”
“On multiple occasions, his unprofessional demeanor made NSC staff feel uncomfortable,” the review continued. Vindman “would benefit from additional experience in a slower-paced work environment subject to less pressure and scrutiny … In time, he may become a better attorney.”
Vindman cited the April 6 evaluation in a whistleblower complaint to the DOD inspector general alleging that he was the victim of retaliation. He cited an earlier evaluation from July 1, 2019, in which Eisenburg called Vindman “the epitome of an Army officer and lawyer” and “the best LTC with whom I have ever worked.”
Vindman and his brother gained national attention when Alexander testified against Trump prior to the president’s first impeachment. Trump later fired both Vindman brothers from the NSC, and Alexander later <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/lt-col-alexander-vindman-retires-from-military-statement-accuses-trump-of-bullying-him">retired</a> from the military citing “a campaign of bullying, intimidation, and retaliation.”
“Today I officially requested retirement from the US Army, an organization I love. My family and I look forward to the next chapter of our lives,” Vindman said in a July 8, 2020 tweet.

Yevgeny Vindman

Impeachment Witness’s Brother, Panned By Trump Officials, Tapped For Promotion Under Biden

The whistleblower reportedly at the center of the Democrats’ impeachment efforts against President Donald Trump was apparently not the driving factor.
A new book from Byron York, “Obsession: Inside the Washington Establishment’s Never-Ending War on Trump,” details how it was the National Security Council’s Lt. Col. Alex Vindman behind the impeachment efforts, rather than the whistleblower, who is not identified in the book. As Mollie Hemingway wrote at The Federalist, the whistleblower was previously identified by Real Clear Investigations as Eric Ciaramella, who worked for the CIA. In fact, Hemingway wrote, Ciaramella “was a diversion from allowing the American people to understand who was the actual instigator of the failed effort to oust President Donald Trump from office.”
“Rather than being a witness who independently supported the claims of the whistleblower, the National Security Council’s Lt. Col Alex Vindman was the driving force behind the entire operation, according to the book’s interviews with key figures in the impeachment probe and other evidence. The whistleblower’s information came directly from Vindman, investigators determined,” Hemingway wrote.
Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-NY) told York that “Vindman was the person on the call who went to the whistleblower after the call, to give the whistleblower the information he needed to file his complaint.”
A senior congressional aide also told York: “For all intents and purposes, Vindman is the whistleblower here, but he was able to get somebody else to do his dirty work for him.”
As Hemingway wrote:
<blockquote>Vindman was the only person at the National Security Council (NSC) listening in on the infamous call between President Donald Trump and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky to be concerned by it. Vindman immediately began talking to his identical twin brother Lt. Col. Yevgeny Vindman, who also worked at the NSC. The twins both complained to NSC Counsel John Eisenberg. Alex Vindman talked about it with his direct supervisor Tim Morrison, who was also on the call. He talked about it with another NSC lawyer, Michael Ellis.
Vindman testified that he talked to only two people outside the NSC. One was George Kent, a State Department official who dealt with Ukraine. He refused to say who the other person was. Both Vindman and Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., who led the impeachment proceedings, strenuously resisted any attempt by investigators to discuss who the other individual was, admitting only that it was a member of the “intelligence community,” the same nebulous descriptor used for the whistleblower.</blockquote>
Vindman also helped prepare the White House’s rough transcript of the allegedly fateful call.
In February, Trump began removing Obama administration holdovers from the National Security Council, including Vindman, The Daily Wire’s Emily Zanotti <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/deep-state-trump-dumps-dozens-of-obama-holdovers-in-the-national-security-council">reported</a>. While the media and Democrats suggested this was retaliation, Vindman served at the discretion of the president, who had the right to remove him from the council. It didn’t mean Vindman was fired. Vindman did, however, retire in July, claiming Trump was “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/lt-col-alexander-vindman-retires-from-military-statement-accuses-trump-of-bullying-him">bullying</a>” him.

Alex Vindman

The Driving Force Behind Trump’s Impeachment Was NOT The Whistleblower, New Book Alleges

Donald Trump

Impeachment

Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, who testified against President Trump during his impeachment last year, is retiring from the military.
“Today I officially requested retirement from the US Army, an organization I love. My family and I look forward to the next chapter of our lives,” Vindman tweeted on Wednesday morning.
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Today I officially requested retirement from the US Army, an organization I love. My family and I look forward to the next chapter of our lives. <a href="https://t.co/h2D9MRUHY2">pic.twitter.com/h2D9MRUHY2</a>
&mdash; Alexander S. Vindman (@AVindman) <a href="https://twitter.com/AVindman/status/1280881196604559360?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 8, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Vindman’s attorney, David Pressman, explained Vindnman’s decision on Wednesday in a <a href="https://twitter.com/haltman/status/1280884000450625538">statement</a> blaming the president for carrying on a “campaign of bullying, intimidation, and retaliation.”
Pressman stated:
<blockquote>After more than 21 years of service, Lieutenant Colonel Vindman is retiring today after it has been made clear that his future within the institution he has dutifully served will forever be limited.
Over the last months, LTC Vindman has been guided by a very simple and very American principle: “here, right matters.” He has spoken publicly once, and only pursuant to a subpoena from the United States Congress. Compelled to testify, this decorated soldier was thrust into a conversation that goes to the heart of our country&#8217;s values, and its future.
Through a campaign of bullying, intimidation, and retaliation, the President of the United States attempted to force LTC Vindman to choose: Between adhering to the law or pleasing a President. Between honoring his oath or protecting his career. Between protecting his promotion or the promotion of his fellow soldiers. These are choices that no one in the United States should confront, especially one who has dedicated his life to serving it.
LTC Vindman did what the law compelled him to do; and for that he was bullied by the president and his proxies. And yet LTC Vindman would not be intimidated and will not be corrupted. He did what he has always done: put the interests of his country ahead of his own.
LTC Vindman’s patriotism has cost him his career. Today our country loses a devoted soldier, but it is incumbent on all of us to ensure it does not lose the values he represents.</blockquote>
Vindman walked away from his 21-year military career instead of taking a post at the Navy War College because “senior Army officials” had spoken with him and “made clear that there were forces working against his advancement within the military,” CNN <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/08/politics/vindman-retiring-alleged-white-house-retaliation/index.html">reported</a>. Senior military officials allegedly told Vindman that he would need a “rehabilitative assignment” after his post at the college to continue advancing.
Secretary of Defense Mark Esper and other top Pentagon officials have denied allegations made in recent weeks that administration officials were attempting to derail Vindman’s career.
Trump <a href="http://dailywire.com/news/breaking-alexander-vindman-fired-escorted-from-white-house-brother-goes-with-him-report-says">fired</a> Vindman from the White House National Security Council (NSC) in February days after the Senate voted to acquit the president on two impeachment charges passed by the House last year. Vindman&#8217;s twin brother, Lt. Col. Yevgeny Vindman, was also fired from his post on the NSC the same day. Yevgeny did not testify in the impeachment trial.

Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman

Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman Retires From Military; Statement Accuses Trump Of ‘Bullying’ Him

Former National Security Council staffer Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman will not be investigated for violating military principles over his testimony against President Donald Trump, the Army announced Friday.
Politico <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2020/02/14/alexander-vindman-no-army-investigation-115286">reported</a> that Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy announced at an event at the National Press Club that Vindman would face no disciplinary action at an event and even downplayed Vindman’s removal from the NSC. Vindman was already scheduled to return to the Army a few months before Trump removed him. Trump, as commander-in-chief, has the ultimate discretion to remove people from his administration. He also removed Vindman’s twin brother as part of a house cleaning to get rid of Obama-era holdovers at the National Security Council. McCarthy said Vindman would have a “bridging assignment” for the next few months.
“Then he will be heading to a senior service college this summer. There’s no investigation into him,” McCarthy said.
As The Daily Wire previously reported, Trump suggested at a press briefing on Tuesday that “the military can handle” Vindman. When asked what he meant by that, Trump elaborated.
“That’s going to be up to the military, we’ll have to see, but if you look at what happened, they’re going to certainly, I would imagine, take a look at that,” Trump said.
Trump continued by saying that Vindman said “very inaccurate things” during his testimony before the House Intelligence Committee regarding the president’s July 25th phone call with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky.
“It turned out that what he reported was very different,” Trump said. “And also, when you look at the person he reports to, said horrible things, avoided the chain of command, leaked, did a lot of bad things. And so, we sent him on his way to a much different location, and the military can handle him anyway they want.”
As The Daily Wire noted:
<blockquote>Trump is likely referring to the fact that Vindman broke one of the fundamental principles governing the military: Do not publicly question or refuse the orders and policies of higher ups. And since the president of the United States is at the top of the chain of command, Vindman broke the principle. Whether he will be disciplined for it is anyone’s guess.
While Vindman has become a hero to the Left simply for speaking out against Trump, the Right has noted that the former military official’s qualms with Trump were policy related and that he really had nothing to say about any crimes Trump may or may not have committed while speaking to Zelensky. Attorney and former Army Ranger John Lucas <a href="https://thefederalist.com/2019/11/22/alexander-vindmans-impeachment-testimony-displays-his-open-insubordination/">wrote</a> at The Federalist (where I also have a byline) after Vindman’s testimony that his “questions and answers made clear he simply disagreed with the way the president was administering his chosen foreign policy.”</blockquote>
Two Medal of Honor recipients also criticized Vindman for his service, calling him a “chow thief” (someone who takes food when there is a limited supply so others can’t get any) and a “spotlight ranger” (someone who only worked hard when he was being watched).

Vindman

Army Won’t Investigate Alexander Vindman After Trump Suggests They Should

Another feud seems to have erupted between President Trump and his former chief of staff John Kelly after the four-star general publicly criticized his former boss for what he sees as poor decisionmaking.
Speaking at a Drew University event on Wednesday in New Jersey, Kelly openly critiqued some of President Trump&#8217;s policies and even defended Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, the man who testified during Trump&#8217;s impeachment hearings that he felt &#8220;concerned&#8221; by the president&#8217;s July 25 phone call with Ukraine about investigating Joe Biden. 
“He did exactly what we teach them to do from cradle to grave,” Kelly <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/482886-john-kelly-praises-vindman-he-did-did-exactly-what-we-teach-them-to">said of Vindman</a>. “He went and told his boss what he just heard. Through the Obama administration up until that phone call, the policy of the U.S. was militarily to support Ukraine in their defensive fight against &#8230; the Russians. When the president said that continued support would be based on X, that essentially changed. And that’s what that guy [Vindman] was most interested in.”
“We teach them, ‘Don’t follow an illegal order. And if you’re ever given one, you’ll raise it to whoever gives it to you that this is an illegal order, and then tell your boss,'&#8221; continued Kelly.
The White House relieved Vindman from his post last Friday. It should be noted that former Medal of Honor recipients have publicly scolded Vindman for his conduct during the House probe into President Trump&#8217;s handling of Ukraine.
“I respect Donald Trump’s actions on escorting [Vindman] out of the White House, because he, as a team player, he should have brought it up through the chain of command, and then blown the whistle if it didn’t get approved,” Leroy Petry <a href="https://www.mediamatters.org/fox-friends/fox-friends-smears-lt-col-alexander-vindmans-military-record">told</a> “Fox &amp; Friends” on Sunday. “I respect his service and I understand he’s a Purple Heart recipient, but being a Purple Heart recipient doesn’t make somebody a hero.&#8221;
Medal of Honor recipient David Bellavia also said, &#8220;Vindman is a very controversial guy, depending on your politics; you either love him or you hate him. Joe Biden gave him a standing ovation. Some people see him as just an emotional kid who just is so partisan and blinded by his politics that he jumped the chain of command and was blinded by being a part of history and politics are more important than his oath.&#8221;
According to <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/482935-trump-lashes-out-over-kelly-criticism-he-misses-the-action">The Hill</a>, Kelly also said that the media is &#8220;not the enemy of the people&#8221; while describing migrants as &#8220;overwhelmingly good people.&#8221;
In response to Kelly&#8217;s critique, President Trump tweeted, &#8220;When I terminated John Kelly, which I couldn’t do fast enough, he knew full well that he was way over his head. Being Chief of Staff just wasn’t for him. He came in with a bang, went out with a whimper, but like so many X’s, he misses the action &amp; just can’t keep his mouth shut, which he actually has a military and legal obligation to do. His incredible wife, Karen, who I have a lot of respect for, once pulled me aside &amp; said strongly that &#8216;John respects you greatly. When we are no longer here, he will only speak well of you.&#8217; Wrong!&#8221;
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&#8230;.which he actually has a military and legal obligation to do. His incredible wife, Karen, who I have a lot of respect for, once pulled me aside &amp; said strongly that “John respects you greatly. When we are no longer here, he will only speak well of you.” Wrong!
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1227986937652350976?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 13, 2020</a></blockquote>
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TrumpKell

John Kelly Rebukes Trump For Firing Of Col. Vindman; Trump Fires Back

John Kelly

The U.S. military may look into taking disciplinary action against former National Security Council official Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman after he testified against President Donald Trump and was removed from the White House.
Trump himself made the suggestion during a press briefing on Tuesday. He mentioned that “the military can handle him,” referring to Vindman. A reporter followed up on the statement to ask Trump what he meant.
“That’s going to be up to the military, we’ll have to see, but if you look at what happened, they’re going to certainly, I would imagine, take a look at that,” Trump said, as <a href="https://www.politico.com/amp/news/2020/02/11/trump-military-disciplinary-action-vindman-114161">reported</a> by Politico.
Trump also said Vindman said “very inaccurate things” in his testimony before the House Intelligence Committee regarding the president’s phone call with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky.
“It turned out that what he reported was very different,” Trump said. “And also, when you look at the person he reports to, said horrible things, avoided the chain of command, leaked, did a lot of bad things. And so, we sent him on his way to a much different location, and the military can handle him anyway they want.”
Trump is likely referring to the fact that Vindman broke one of the fundamental principles governing the military: Do not publicly question or refuse the orders and policies of higher ups. And since the president of the United States is at the top of the chain of command, Vindman broke the principle. Whether he will be disciplined for it is anyone’s guess.
While Vindman has become a hero to the Left simply for speaking out against Trump, the Right has noted that the former military official’s qualms with Trump were policy related and that he really had nothing to say about any crimes Trump may or may not have committed while speaking to Zelensky. Attorney and former Army Ranger John Lucas <a href="https://thefederalist.com/2019/11/22/alexander-vindmans-impeachment-testimony-displays-his-open-insubordination/">wrote</a> at The Federalist (where I also have a byline) after Vindman’s testimony that his “questions and answers made clear he simply disagreed with the way the president was administering his chosen foreign policy.”
Two Medal of Honor recipients also chastised Vindman earlier this week for being a “chow thief” and a “spotlighter,” The Daily Wire’s Amanda Prestigiacomo <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/chow-thief-two-medal-of-honor-recipients-sound-off-on-alexander-vindman">reported</a>.
Master Sergeant (ret.) Leroy Petry said on Fox &amp; Friends over the weekend that Vindman “couldn’t be trusted” back at Ranger School. Vindman, according to Petry, took food (chow thief) when there was a limited supply, only worked hard when someone was watching (spotlight ranger), and irked his peers enough for them to try to get him out of Ranger School (peered out). Petry also said Vindman let everyone know he was a liberal even though people in the military are supposed to keep it contained.
Vindman was one of the first among a house cleaning of the National Security Council. Trump on Tuesday removed Vindman and his twin brother Yevgeny and will continue to remove Obama-era holdovers on the council. Members of the NSC serve at the discretion of Trump, and he has every right to remove them.

President Trump

Trump Suggests Military Could Take Disciplinary Action Against Alexander Vindman

President Donald Trump is cleaning house at the National Security Council, scrubbing dozens of Obama administration holdovers in the agency after dumping Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, the NSC&#8217;s expert on Ukraine, who testified against the president in the House Democrats&#8217; impeachment inquiry, late last year.
Vindman was recalled from his post on Friday, months earlier than he expected, and will be reassigned to the Defense Department, <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/08/politics/national-security-council-overhaul/index.html">according to CNN</a>. House Democrats &#8212; and Vindman&#8217;s attorney &#8212; claim Vindman is being punished for his testimony, in which he reported being uncomfortable with the content of a phone call between Trump and Ukrainian officials.
The White House responded that Vindman serves at the discretion of the president, and Trump is well within his rights to let Vindman go. President Trump himself took to Twitter to defend the dismissal, noting that Vindman &#8220;was given a horrendous report by his superior, the man he reported to, who publicly stated that Vindman had problems with judgement, adhering to the chain of command and leaking information.&#8221;
Vindman&#8217;s twin brother,  Lt. Col. Yevgeny Vindman, who worked as an attorney for the National Security Council, was also fired on Friday. House Democrats announced Monday that they will be initiating an investigation into whether the two Vindmans were punished for being &#8220;whistleblowers&#8221; in volation of Federal law.
<a href="https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/washington-secrets/bigger-than-vindman-trump-scrubs-70-obama-holdovers-from-nsc">The Washington Examiner reports</a>, though, that the &#8220;house-cleaning&#8221; goes deeper than the two Vindmans, and is part of an extensive effort to pare down the NSC and several other agencies, packed with Obama-era officials. Acting national security advisor Robert O&#8217;Brien has already cut dozens of personnel and is expected to cut dozens more, letting at least 70 individuals go from the foreign policy and intelligence agency.
&#8220;President Trump is making good on his promises to &#8216;drain the swamp&#8217; and cut Obama-era holdovers from his staffs, especially the critical and recently controversial National Security Council,&#8221; the Examiner said Tuesday. &#8220;Many were loaners from other agencies and have been sent back. Others left government work.&#8221;
The National Security Council had around 100 employees at the height of the global war on terror, during the George W. Bush administration. Without reason, President Barack Obama more than doubled the staff, leaving the Trump administration with a bloated, 230-person NSC, packed, reportedly, with Obama loyalists.
O&#8217;Brien wants to return to the lean, Bush-era staff.
CNN reports that O&#8217;Brien has been busy already.
&#8220;As of December, 40 to 45 staff detailed to the NSC had already been sent back to the departments and agencies where they originally worked,&#8221; the network reported. &#8220;In January, about 180 officials from the Pentagon, the State Department, Homeland Security and the various intelligence agencies were on loan to the NSC&#8221; and O&#8217;Brien &#8220;expects to have about 60 to 70 staffers return to their home agency&#8221; by the end of this month.
The scale-back is not unusual for the Trump administration, which has been cutting staff across the Federal government, partly to reduce overhead and cost, partly to make systems more efficient, and party to clear the so-called &#8220;deep state&#8221; of Obama administration officials that exists within a number of agencies &#8212; and which the Trump White House claims subverts the president&#8217;s agenda.

Deep State: Trump Dumps Dozens Of Obama Holdovers In The National Security Council

On Sunday, Medal of Honor recipient Leroy Petry appeared on Fox News&#8217; &#8220;Fox &amp; Friends,&#8221; where he discussed Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, who was escorted out of the White House on Friday.
Petry defended President Donald Trump&#8217;s actions and laid into Vindman for putting himself before those he was fighting alongside, calling the impeachment witness a likely &#8220;chow thief&#8221; and a &#8220;spotlighter.&#8221;
&#8220;I respect Donald Trump&#8217;s actions on escorting [Vindman] out of the White House, because he, as a team player, he should have brought it up through the chain of command, and then blown the whistle if it didn&#8217;t get approved,&#8221; Perry <a href="https://www.mediamatters.org/fox-friends/fox-friends-smears-lt-col-alexander-vindmans-military-record">told</a> &#8220;Fox &amp; Friends&#8221; on Sunday.
&#8220;I respect his service and I understand he&#8217;s a Purple Heart recipient, but being a Purple Heart recipient doesn&#8217;t make somebody a hero,&#8221; he noted.
Petry continued regarding Vindman, claiming he was dubbed a &#8220;chow thief&#8221; back at Ranger School and heard he &#8220;couldn&#8217;t be trusted.&#8221;
&#8220;They tried peering him out,&#8221; claimed Petry.
&#8220;Usually, folks that tried to make a big statue of something are what we call spotlighters in the military,&#8221; he added. &#8220;Trying to highlight themselves as a hero, or doing something great, and you could do something great just doing your job.&#8221;
&#8220;Fox &amp; Friends&#8221; weekend co-host Pete Hegseth offered to &#8220;translate&#8221; Petry&#8217;s comments regarding Vindman:
<blockquote>&#8220;Chow thief&#8221; meaning when there&#8217;s limited food, you&#8217;re taking some so that you can have some and your buddies don&#8217;t. &#8220;Spotlight ranger&#8221; is someone who, when the spotlight&#8217;s on, you do a great job; when it&#8217;s not, you&#8217;re not necessarily helping your buddies. And to be &#8220;peered out&#8221; means your fellow peers are voting against you to graduate from that particular school. I&#8217;ve also heard his political allegiance; he always wore it openly. Like, we all are allowed to have political views, but he&#8217;s been a left-winger his entire career, and now the president has a prerogative to get rid of him.</blockquote>
Medal of Honor recipient David Bellavia added some commentary on Vindman, too.
On Sunday, taking to Instagram to encourage folks to watch Petry&#8217;s &#8220;Fox &amp; Friends&#8221; appearance, Bellavia said Vindman is seen as one of two things:
<blockquote>Vindman is a very controversial guy, depending on your politics; you either love him or you hate him. Joe Biden gave him a standing ovation. Some people see him as just an emotional kid who just is so partisan and blinded by his politics that he jumped the chain of command and was blinded by being a part of history and politics are more important than his oath.</blockquote>
Bellavia, between intermittent fits of laughter, then joked about Petry choosing to hit Vindman on the &#8220;chow thief&#8221; claims.
“Vindman was a chow thief,” Bellavia says, letting out a fit of laughter. “Leroy is so old school that that alone should have taken [Vindman&#8217;s] security clearance away. In Leroy Perty&#8217;s mind, being a chow thief is the unforgivable sin.” 
&#8220;That is Leroy, and that’s why he needs to be on TV more,&#8221; Bellavia added, noting that Petry was &#8220;dead serious.&#8221;
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/watch-medal-of-honor-recipient-speech-goes-viral-as-tensions-with-iran-escalate">WATCH: Medal Of Honor Recipient Speech Goes Viral As Tensions With Iran Escalate</a>
WATCH:
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<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/davidbellavia/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px;" target="_blank"> David Bellavia</a> (@davidbellavia) on <time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime="2020-02-09T22:12:03+00:00">Feb 9, 2020 at 2:12pm PST</time>
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‘CHOW THIEF’: Two Medal Of Honor Recipients Sound Off On Alexander Vindman

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI) defended President Donald Trump&#8217;s decision to fire two brothers at the National Security Council (NSC) and an ambassador on Friday in an interview on Fox News.
Late on Friday, news broke that the Trump administration removed Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman and attorney Yevgeny Vindman from the NSC, and also recalled U.S. Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland.
&#8220;You know, the president yesterday, as you probably know, Congresswoman, fired Gordon Sondland, our Ambassador to Ukraine, and Alexander Vindman, top security official,&#8221; host Neil Cavuto said. &#8220;A lot of people were likening it to another, you know, Friday night massacre akin to what Richard Nixon did back in the ‘70s. Do you agree with that?&#8221;
&#8220;Ultimately, whether people like or not, there are consequences to elections,&#8221; Gabbard responded. &#8220;And the president has, within his purview, to make the decisions about who he’d like serving in his cabinet.&#8221;
At an earlier point in the interview, Gabbard took aim at the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and Democratic presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg when asked what she thought about the DNC making the rules easier for Bloomberg to qualify for the debates.
&#8220;It’s wrong. It’s wrong,&#8221; Gabbard responded. &#8220;The fact that a billionaire can come in and have that kind of influence to change the rules of the DNC all of a sudden, not coincidently, to be able to benefit Michael Bloomberg while voters here in New Hampshire and across the country are saying, hey, we want to be able to make the best informed decision possible before we go in and cast our vote, understanding the seriousness of this election.&#8221;
&#8220;But they’re not able to do so so long as both the DNC and some of the corporate media partners are enacting these rules where they are playing favorites,&#8221; Gabbard responded. &#8220;They are picking winners and losers before voters have the opportunity to do so.&#8221;
WATCH:
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Tulsi Gabbard on Iowa Caucuses, importance of New Hampshire primary" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/D6k091R1NEg?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
TRANSCRIPT:
<blockquote>NEIL CAVUTO, FOX NEWS ANCHOR: So poking around the state here, we’re seeing a lot of the candidates show up at various rallies and events, including Joe Biden who is busy crisscrossing the state as well. A lot of the candidates will be doing that, including my next guest, the Hawaii Democratic Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard who joins us right now in the flesh.
Good to see you.
REP. TULSI GABBARD (D-HI), 2020 DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Good to see you. Thanks for having me.
CAVUTO: You saw this debate over what happened in Iowa.
GABBARD: Yes.
CAVUTO: A lot of people think even Tom Perez, the head of the Democratic National Committee, he should go. What do you think?
GABBARD: I think first, they should actually solve some of the problems. I think the more we learn about all of the things that went wrong really are a disservice to the voters in Iowa who went and they spent their time to let their voices be heard. And yet, their voices have not been heard in a resounding and very clear way.
I would think that, whether it’s the Iowa caucus chair working in concert with the DNC chair, they would proactively, themselves, want to go and make sure that those results are accurately counted to best serve the residents of Iowa.
CAVUTO: You know &#8212; as you know, Iowa holds a unique position as the first in the nation contest. Do you think it should have that four years from now?
GABBARD: That’s up to the states to decide. The states determine when they hold their primary elections. What I’ve been advocating for now for years are some very key reforms to our Democratic primaries. I think they should be open primaries.
I think they should allow same-day registration so you don’t have people in New York, for example, who if they didn’t register, I don’t know, something like five months before election day, they can’t go and vote. And I think we need to get rid of superdelegates.
Once again, this is continuing to be an issue of concern to voters here in New Hampshire who are worried about their vote actually being counted and how they don’t want it to be overruled by a small group of individuals who can come in and say, you know what, I don’t &#8212; I don’t think you guys know what you’re doing. We’re going to come in and decide &#8212;
(CROSSTALK)
CAVUTO: Well, you know they’re talking that way again &#8212;
(CROSSTALK)
GABBARD: &#8212; this election &#8212;
CAVUTO: &#8212; Congresswoman, right?
GABBARD: That’s the concern &#8212;
CAVUTO: I mean, since the emergence of Bernie Sanders as a possible nominee, they’re revisiting this rule in place now &#8212;
GABBARD: Yes.
CAVUTO: &#8212; that superdelegates can’t vote on the first ballot. If they do that &#8212; change that, what do you think?
GABBARD: Well, the issue is &#8212; you know, I think, moving it back from the first ballot to the second ballot was a very small step in the right direction. But I want to be clear, we’ve got to get rid of superdelegates all together. And that change was not anywhere near enough, once again, to make sure that we as Democrats are standing by the decision that voters make on who our Democratic nominee should be.
CAVUTO: And you like the idea of an open primary where this way &#8212; you know, not just anyone in any party &#8212; any stream (ph) would be able to vote. If that were the math, I mean, you would poll a lot better because Conservatives are drawn to you, Independents are drawn to you. But in some of these rules, you’re kind of between a rock and a hard place.
GABBARD: Well, this is bigger than &#8212; this is not about me or my campaign. This is something I’ve been calling for for years, since the 2016 primary elections where I saw and I heard and met with people who are Democrat, who are Independents &#8212; who are here in New Hampshire &#8212; who are undeclared and who want to make sure that their voice is heard. We need to make it as easy and as accessible as possible for people to go in and participate in our democracy.
CAVUTO: How do you feel &#8212; and let’s say, you weren’t able to participate in the debate last night and yet they recently made rules in the party to all but grease the skids for Michael Bloomberg being able to debate. What do you think of that?
GABBARD: It’s wrong. It’s wrong. The fact that a billionaire can come in and have that kind of influence to change the rules of the DNC all of a sudden, not coincidently, to be able to benefit Michael Bloomberg while voters here in New Hampshire and across the country are saying, hey, we want to be able to make the best informed decision possible before we go in and cast our vote, understanding the seriousness of this election. But they’re not able to do so so long as both the DNC and some of the corporate media partners are enacting these rules where they are playing favorites. They are picking winners and losers before voters have the opportunity to do so.
CAVUTO: Do you think you’re just the odd-woman-out in this environment, though, that going after Hillary Clinton, now suing Hillary Clinton out, for saying you’re an agent of the Russians and all that &#8212; challenging the way they go about establishing a nominee and the process they use, that it’s an uphill battle for you &#8212;
GABBARD: Of course.
CAVUTO: &#8212; that you’re going against the tide &#8212;
GABBARD: We’re &#8212; I think it’s how you determine what the tide is. If you’re looking at the powerful elite in Washington, absolutely. I and so many people across the country are challenging the powerful elite who have shown they are not working for the best interests of the people.
So we’re calling for the truth, we’re calling for a straight-forward process for voters to make sure that their voices are heard in this democracy and so that we can actually have a government that’s of, by, and for the people &#8212; not of, by, and for the powerful elite in Washington.
CAVUTO: All right. You’re up against, you know, a fundraising disadvantage. I was noticing, Congresswoman, in this state Tom Steyer has already spent north of $15.5 billion if you include New Hampshire and surrounding media markets.
GABBARD: Yes.
CAVUTO: Michael Bloomberg, who essentially is getting &#8212; you know, not focusing on this state. He’s spent $6.2 million, Bernie Sanders $3.7 million, Mayor Pete, at recently $1.4 million. You are at about $390,000.
GABBARD: We are at a disadvantage. I’ll take the opportunity now to ask your viewers if you’d like to contribute to my campaign &#8212; go to tulsi2020.com because we really are &#8212; I’m focused on really delivering my message directly to voters here in New Hampshire and across the country, understand what &#8212;
CAVUTO: Could you accept any of those other candidates, though &#8212; if any one of them became the nominee, could you support them?
GABBARD: I’m focused &#8212; I’m focused on &#8212; on winning.
CAVUTO: No, I’m sure you are but &#8212;
GABBARD: And here’s why &#8212; and here’s why &#8212;
CAVUTO: You don’t join the camp that says a socialist in Bernie Sanders is the nominee is political suicide?
GABBARD: No, I don’t. I don’t believe that.
CAVUTO: OK.
GABBARD: What I believe and what I hear from voters here is that they want a new generation of leadership. But they also want someone who has experience &#8212; experience to walk in on day one prepared to lead and to serve as Commander-in-Chief of our Armed Forces and experience to be able to work with Congress to be &#8212; to actually be able to get things done, to solve problems.
And what I bring to the table is experience in both of those areas, having served at the federal, state, and local levels of government, serving in Congress now for seven, going on eight, years, and having served in the military for 17 years and deploying twice to the Middle East, able to bring people together, heal these divides in our country where while we can agree to disagree on certain issues, even strongly, we stand together motivated by this love for our country and an understanding that when we stand and work side-by-side as Americans, we can accomplish anything.
CAVUTO: You know, the president yesterday, as you probably know, Congresswoman, fired Gordon Sondland, our Ambassador to Ukraine, and Alexander Vindman, top security official. A lot of people were likening it to another, you know, Friday night massacre akin to what Richard Nixon did back in the ‘70s. Do you agree with that?
GABBARD: Look, I disagree with so many of Trump’s decisions, especially as it relates to foreign policy. I’ve been very outspoken in that area. Ultimately, whether people like or not, there are consequences to elections. And the president has, within his purview, to make the decisions about who he’d like serving in his cabinet.
CAVUTO: All right. Congresswoman, thank you very much.
GABBARD: Thank you very much.
(CROSSTALK)
CAVUTO: And you have a long day &#8212;
GABBARD: Good to see you, Neil.
CAVUTO: &#8212; days of campaigning &#8212;
GABBARD: Yes, we do. Seventy-two hours.
CAVUTO: All right. Tulsi Gabbard, thank you very, very much.</blockquote>

Democratic Presidential Candidates Participate In Fourth Debate In Ohio

Tulsi Gabbard Defends Trump Firing Vindman Brothers, Sondland. Rips DNC, Bloomberg.

Democratic National Committee

Gordon Sondland

Michael Bloomberg

Tulsi Gabbard

President Donald Trump continued to clean house late on Friday after removing two brothers from the National Security Council, notifying Gordon D. Sondland, the ambassador to the European Union that he was fired.
&#8220;I was advised today that the president intends to recall me effective immediately as United States ambassador to the European Union,&#8221; Sondland <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/gordon-sondland-recalled-as-ambassador-to-eu-after-impeachment-testimony">said</a> in a statement. &#8220;I am grateful to President Trump for having given me the opportunity to serve, to Secretary Pompeo for his consistent support, and to the exceptional and dedicated professionals at the U.S. Mission to the European Union. I am proud of our accomplishments. Our work here has been the highlight of my career.&#8221;
Sonland, who testified in Democrats&#8217; impeachment inquiry, initially said during his testimony that there was a quid pro quo involving withholding aid to Ukraine for the announcement of an investigation into Democrat presidential candidate Joe Biden.
Later, Sondland later <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/11/20/transcript-sondlands-nov-public-testimony-front-house-intelligence-committee/">admitted</a> that what he had stated was just his assumption.
<blockquote>HOUSE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN ADAM SCHIFF: And you&#8217;ve also testified that your understanding &#8212; it became your clear understanding that the military assistance was also being withheld, pending Zelensky announcing these investigations. Correct?
SONDLAND: That was my presumption, my personal presumption, based on the facts at the time. Nothing was moving.</blockquote>
Sondland later continued:
<blockquote>GOP COUNSEL STEVE CASTOR: I want to turn back to your &#8211; your opener on Page 5, under &#8211; when &#8211; when you talk about in the absence of any credible explanation for the suspension of aid, I later came to believe that the resumption of security aid would not occur until there was a public statement from Ukraine committing to the investigations. Correct?
SONDLAND: Correct.
CASTOR: And you acknowledged that this is speculation, right?
SONDLAND: It was a presumption.</blockquote>
Sondland later admitted that he had no evidence to prove his initial claim.
Sonland late confirmed again during his testimony that what he had initially claimed was just his presumption:
<blockquote>REP. MIKE TURNER (R-OH): OK. Well, you know, after you testified Chairman Schiff ran out and gave a press conference and said, he gets to impeach the president of the United States because of your testimony. And if you pull up CNN today right now their banner says &#8220;Sondland ties Trump to withholding aid,&#8221; is that your testimony today, Mr. &#8212; Ambassador Sondland, that you have evidence that Donald Trump tied the investigations to the aid? Because I don&#8217;t think you&#8217;re saying that.
SONDLAND: I&#8217;ve said repeatedly, Congressman, I was presuming. I also said that President Trump &#8212;
TURNER: So no one told you. Not just the president &#8212; Giuliani didn&#8217;t tell you, Mulvaney didn&#8217;t tell you &#8212; nobody &#8212; Pompeo didn&#8217;t tell you? Nobody else on this planet told you that Donald Trump was tying aid to these investigations, is that correct?
SONDLAND: I think I already testified to that &#8212;
TURNER: No, answer the question. Is it correct, no one on this planet told you that Donald Trump was tying this aid to the investigations? Because if your answer is yes, then the Chairman&#8217;s wrong and the headline on CNN is wrong. No one on this planet told you that President Trump was tying aid to investigations, yes or no?
SONDLAND: Yes.
TURNER: So, you really have no testimony today that ties President Trump to a scheme to withhold aid from Ukraine in exchange for these investigations?
SONDLAND: Other than my own presumption.
TURNER: Which is nothing. I mean, that&#8217;s what I don&#8217;t understand. So you know what hearsay evidence is, Ambassador? Hearsay is when I testify what someone else told me. Do you know what made up testimony is? Made up testimony is when I just presume it.
I mean, you&#8217;re just assuming all of these things and then you&#8217;re giving them the evidence that they&#8217;re running out and doing press conferences and CNN&#8217;s headline is saying that you&#8217;re saying the president of the United States should be impeached because he tied to investigations and you don&#8217;t know that, correct?
SONDLAND: I never said the president of the United States should be impeached.
TURNER: Nope, but you did &#8212; you have left people with the confusing impression that you were giving testimony that you did not. You do not have any evidence that the president of the United States was tied to withholding aid from Ukraine in exchange for investigations. I yield back.</blockquote>
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Democrats reference Gordon Sondland EVERYWHERE in their case. Spread this clip far and wide:
“No one on this planet told you POTUS was tying aid/political investigations?”
Sondland: “Yes”
“So you have no evidence”
Sondland: “Other than my presumption” <a href="https://t.co/rdqmJ9eka9">pic.twitter.com/rdqmJ9eka9</a>
&mdash; Mark Meadows (@RepMarkMeadows) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepMarkMeadows/status/1220732514890846209?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 24, 2020</a></blockquote>
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This is a breaking news story, refresh the page for updates.

Trump Continues To Clean House, Fires Ambassador Gordon Sondland

The Trump administration reportedly removed Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman&#8217;s brother, National Security Council attorney Yevgeny Vindman, on Friday from the White House, which came as the administration <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-alexander-vindman-fired-escorted-from-white-house-brother-goes-with-him-report-says">also fired Alexander Vindma</a>n.
Bloomberg News reporter Jennifer Jacobs wrote: &#8220;Alex Vindman’s twin brother Army Lt. Col. Yevgeny Vindman, an ethics lawyer for the NSC, was also dismissed from his job today, sources tell me.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
NEWS: Alex Vindman’s twin brother Army Lt. Col. Yevgeny Vindman, an ethics lawyer for the NSC, was also dismissed from his job today, sources tell me.
&mdash; Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) <a href="https://twitter.com/JenniferJJacobs/status/1225901065394171907?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 7, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Vindman&#8217;s attorney David Pressman, &#8220;indicated that the Iraq War veteran&#8217;s twin brother Yevgeny, who serves as a senior lawyer on the NSC, was also removed from his post and exited the White House alongside his brother,&#8221; Politico <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2020/02/07/donald-trump-pressure-impeachment-witness-alexander-vindman-111997">reported</a>. &#8220;Yevgeny Vindman was not a witness in the impeachment process. His lawyer didn&#8217;t respond to a request for comment.&#8221;
CNN had <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-alexander-vindman-fired-escorted-from-white-house-brother-goes-with-him-report-says">reported</a> earlier in the afternoon that Alexander Vindman was escorted out of the White House after he was fired and that his brother also left with him but that it was not clear at the time whether he had been fired.
PBS reporter Yamiche Alcindor noted: &#8220;Where are the Vindman brothers heading? Lieutenant Colonel Yevgeny Vindman is going to Office of General Counsel at Army at the Pentagon. Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Vindman is going to work at the Pentagon until he heads to war college on July 1.&#8221;
&#8220;A reminder: Both Vindman brothers are in the Army were on detail to the White House,&#8221; Alcindor added. &#8220;They have been reassigned out of the White House but they aren’t losing their jobs completely.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
A reminder: Both Vindman brothers are in the Army were on detail to the White House. They have been reassigned out of the White House but they aren’t losing their jobs completely.
&mdash; Yamiche Alcindor (@Yamiche) <a href="https://twitter.com/Yamiche/status/1225915098063163395?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 7, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) supported the Trump administration&#8217;s decision, <a href="https://twitter.com/RepThomasMassie/status/1225764572981846017">writing</a> on Twitter on Friday morning: &#8220;I’d fire him. I listened to his testimony in the SCIF. He’s a leaker, not a whistleblower. Vindman was upset that @realDonaldTrump didn’t follow the script Vindman prepared for the phone call. Current Commander in Chief doesn’t take orders from a Lt. Col.!&#8221;
Reaction to the firing of the two brothers largely depended on whether those who were commentating were supporters or opponents of the president.
Former White House adviser Andrew Surabian wrote on Twitter: &#8220;The extent to which the media and their approved talking heads sincerely believe that an unelected national security bureaucracy should be deciding policy &amp; running the country over the elected President is truly disturbing. Before Trump, I didn&#8217;t realize how bad it really was.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
The extent to which the media and their approved talking heads sincerely believe that an unelected national security bureaucracy should be deciding policy &amp; running the country over the elected President is truly disturbing. 
Before Trump, I didn&#39;t realize how bad it really was. <a href="https://t.co/Z9tnn7BBTE">https://t.co/Z9tnn7BBTE</a>
&mdash; Andrew Surabian (@Surabees) <a href="https://twitter.com/Surabees/status/1225889805252296705?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 7, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Former White House adviser Cliff Sims wrote: &#8220;There are NSC aides who faithfully serve numerous presidents, working diligently to execute for their Commander in Chief. But there are also NatSec bureaucrats who view themselves as the REAL power, outlasting presidents, undermining &amp; executing their own agenda. DRAIN THE SWAMP.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
There are NSC aides who faithfully serve numerous presidents, working diligently to execute for their Commander in Chief. But there are also NatSec bureaucrats who view themselves as the REAL power, outlasting presidents, undermining &amp; executing their own agenda. DRAIN THE SWAMP.
&mdash; Cliff Sims (@Cliff_Sims) <a href="https://twitter.com/Cliff_Sims/status/1225911223675490305?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 7, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Donald Trump Jr. added: &#8220;On the bright side, he may still be able to take the defense minister position in the Ukraine that he was offered a few times.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
On the bright side, he may still be able to take the defense minister position in the Ukraine that he was offered a few times. <a href="https://t.co/xcFxaziD8r">https://t.co/xcFxaziD8r</a>
&mdash; Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) <a href="https://twitter.com/DonaldJTrumpJr/status/1225912031930462208?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 7, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Trump Jr.&#8217;s remarks came in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/vindman-testifies-ukraine-repeatedly-asked-him-to-work-for-their-government">response</a> to Alexander Vindman&#8217;s testimony during House Democrats&#8217; impeachment investigation when he said under oath that Ukraine had repeatedly offered him a top military position in their government.
Here is the exchange:
<blockquote>GOP Counsel Steve Castor: You went to Ukraine for the inauguration.
Vindman: Correct.
Castor: At any point in that trip, did [Ukrainian Defense Council Oleksandr] Danylyuk offer you a position of defense minister with the Ukrainian government?
Vindman: He did.
Castor: How many times did he do that?
Vindman: I believe it was three times.</blockquote>
While Vindman said that it would have been a ‘great honor’ to serve in the position” he turned down the offer “every single time,” adding that “upon returning, I notified my chain of command and the appropriate counterintelligence folks about this offer.”
This is a breaking news story, refresh the page for updates.

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