Trump news: President asked about Ukraine 'investigations', impeachment hearings told as Democrats reject effort to force whistleblower testimony
Follow the latest updates from Capitol Hill
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The House impeachment inquiry into Donald Trump is beginning its first public hearings with Bill Taylor, acting US ambassador to Ukraine, and State Department official George Kent. Both witnesses delivered joint-testimony to Congress as the president derides the process as a “partisan sham”.
Mr Trump has meanwhile reportedly been threatening to fire his acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney over his recent blunders. He also previously considered axing Michael Atkinson, the inspector general of the US intelligence community, over his handling of the whistle-blower complaint about his call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, according to The Washington Post.
Meanwhile, as senior Republicans insist they will not be watching the hearings and Mr Trump hosts his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the White House on Wednesday, progressive Democrat Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is calling for the resignation of senior Trump aide Stephen Miller over racist emails he sent to the right-wing news site Breitbart, in which he advocated white nationalist ideologies.
Following a meeting between the two leaders, Mr Trump repeated to reporters at a press conference that the day's public impeachment hearings are a "witch hunt" and a "joke".
"I haven't watched, I haven't watched for one minute because I've been with the president which is much more important as far as I'm concerned," Mr Trump said.
But the leaders were at odds following their controversial summit, to which five Senators were invited, discussing Turkey's cease-fire against Kurdish forces in Syria, as well as a two-day $100b trade deal and Turkey's acquisition of Russian anti-aircraft weapons.
Please allow a moment for our live blog to load
Here's a note from The Independent's Andrew Feinberg who is watching the impeachment hearings from inside the room where the proceedings are being held:
"Steve Castor (the GOP counsel) is implying Hunter Biden had no relevant experience — other than being related to Joe Biden — to be on the board of Ukrainian gas firm Burisma, but he had been on Amtrak’s board from 2006-2009 (a position to which he’d been appointed by George W. Bush). Moreover, it’s not unusual for people without energy experience to be on the board of energy companies. No one on the board of ExxonMobil other than the CEO, for example, is an expert on oil or gas."
William Taylor describes the "irregular channel" involving Rudy Giuliani to conduct US-Ukraine relations, saying "it's a little unusual for the US Ambassador to the EU to play a role in Ukraine policy".
The House Republican counsel Steve Castor then follows up with: "It might be irregular, but it's certainly not outlandish."
Mr Taylor smiles but does not respond.
William Taylor says he met Rudy Giuliani in Ukraine when the president's personal attorney visited the country in either 2007 or 2008, when the two just happened to be in the same place at the same time.
The acting US ambassador to Ukraine has repeatedly said throughout the hearings that Rudy Giuliani's involvement in US-Ukraine relations was "concerning".
Donald Trump says Rudy Giuliani's interest in "pursuing these investigations was of concern" and that he is unaware of how many times the president's personal attorney met with Kurt Volker.
House Republican counsel Steve Castor says Mr Volker told investigators he only met with Mr Giuliani once.
Adam Schiff is now beginning five-minute rounds for House committee members to ask their own questions to the two impeachment witnesses. The House Intelligence chairman is beginning with himself.
William Taylor tells House Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff it was his "understanding" that Donald Trump was looking fro investigations specifically into the Bidens, rather than oligarchs in the country accused of corruption.
Mr Schiff asks Mr Taylor if he was specifically "more interested in the Bidens" than anything else.
"Yes sir", the ambassador responds.
Adam Schiff has poked holes in Republican talking points about Hunter Biden working on the board of Burisma during his line of questioning. He confirms that investigations into allegations of corruption at the company were ongoing long before Mr Biden joined the board and that those had been largely settled by the time the former vice president's son joined the board.
Ohio Republican Jim Jordan is questioning William Taylor, and calling him a "star witness" while noting he did not listen to the phone call with Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Mr Taylor goes on to say that he is not on any one side and continues to lay out the facts and concerns as he sees them.
Connecticut Democrat Jim Hines has begun questioning William Taylor and George Kent. He's slamming Republican for evoking unfounded conspiracies during the impeachment hearings:
"Faced with very serious allegations of presidential misconduct, my colleagues on the other side of the aisle don't engage or defend that conduct. Rather, they spin theories about black ledgers and Steele dossiers."
Texas Republican John Ratcliffe asks the impeachment witnesses whether Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has given any reason not trust his administration. He then cites a quote from the Ukrainian president saying there was "no pressure" to launch investigations or "corruption of any kind".
Mr Ratcliffe then asks William Taylor if he believes the president was lying. Mr Taylor says he is not here to decide the fate of impeachment.
Adam Schiff is now continuing his own questioning of Mr Taylor.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments