Politics

President Trump Fires EU Ambassador Gordon Sondland

In November, Sondland told Congress that Ukrainian aid was tied to a public announcement of an investigation into Burisma Holdings and the Bidens.

President Trump Fires EU Ambassador Gordon Sondland
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Hours after Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman was escorted out of the White House, another person who testified against President Donald Trump is out, too.

President Trump fired Gordon Sondland, U.S. ambassador to the European Union, late Friday afternoon.

Sondland said in a statement, "I was advised today that the president intends to recall me effective immediately." He thanked President Trump "for having given me the opportunity to serve."

In November, Sondland testified that security assistance to Ukraine was tied to a public announcement of an investigation into the 2016 election and Ukrainian energy giant Burisma.

"I know that members of this committee frequently frame these complicated issues in the form of a simple question: 'Was there a quid pro quo?' As I testified previously, with regard to the requested White House call and the White House meeting, the answer is yes."

Sondland said that at the time, he was not aware that a push to investigate Burisma was really a push to investigate Joe and Hunter Biden, but that he later understood that to be the case.

Both the decisions on Sondland and Vindman were announced just 48 hours after the Senate voted to acquit President Trump of both articles of impeachment. 

Contains footage from CNN