This archive report was first published on 20 November 2019.
On a phone call, Gordon Sondland asked Gordon Holmes about President Trump's feelings toward Ukraine. Sondland replied that Trump did not care about Ukraine but was interested in 'big stuff that benefits the president,' such as the 'Biden investigation.'
During his testimony, Sondland did not dispute this account, but insisted that they did not discuss classified information.
'It is true that the president speaks loudly at times,' Sondland said. 'It is true that the president likes to use colorful language.' He added that the call did not strike him as significant at the time.
'Actually, I would have been more surprised if President Trump had not mentioned investigations,' Sondland said.
Sondland disputes other descriptions of key July 10 meeting at the White House ¶
Gordon Sondland denied that a July 10 meeting at the White House with Ukrainian officials turned sharply tense, as others have testified.
According to Fiona Hill and Lt. Col. Alexander S. Vindman, the meeting led to a confrontation over Sondland's unconventional role in Ukraine policy. When Sondland mentioned the need for investigations, Bolton abruptly ended the meeting.
However, Sondland said he did not remember this.
'Their recollections of those events simply don’t square with my own or with those of Ambassador Volker or Secretary Perry,' Sondland said in his prepared testimony. 'I recall mentioning the prerequisite of investigations before any White House call or meeting. But I do not recall any yelling or screaming or abrupt terminations as others have said.'
Background on the Impeachment Inquiry ¶
- President Trump and his advisers repeatedly pressured Ukrainian President Zelensky to investigate people and issues of political concern to Trump, including former Vice President Biden.
- A C.I.A. officer filed a whistle-blower complaint on Trump's interactions with Zelensky.
