This archive report was first published on 17 November 2019.
On Saturday, November 16, 2019, Michael Duffey, the acting director of the Office of Management and Budget, was subpoenaed by the House Intelligence Committee to testify about the withheld aid to Ukraine. This move marked a significant development in the impeachment inquiry, as Mr. Duffey is the first Trump administration official to defy a directive not to cooperate.
Mr. Duffey's testimony came a day after Marie L. Yovanovitch, the former American ambassador to Ukraine, testified before the House Intelligence Committee. In her testimony, Ms. Yovanovitch described how President Trump and his allies sought to undermine her and push her out of her job.
President Trump responded to Ms. Yovanovitch's testimony by targeting her on Twitter, prompting heavy criticism from Democrats who accused him of witness intimidation. The president also suggested that nonpartisan diplomats who have testified were aggrieved members of the Washington
