Gordon Sondland's testimony represented a sharp break from Trump, who heavily pushed for his personal attorney to be involved in diplomatic discussions with Ukraine.
Gordon Sondland, President Donald Trump's U.S. ambassador to the European Union, told lawmakers Thursday morning that he was directed by Trump to work with his personal attorney Rudy Giuliani on Ukraine policy matters.
His testimony represented a sharp break from Trump, who heavily pushed for Giuliani to be involved in diplomatic discussions with Ukraine, despite the personal attorney having no official government role. Sondland's remarks also sharply broke with Trump in his move to delay Ukrainian aid.
"We were also disappointed by the President's direction that we involve Mr. Giuliani. Our view was that the men and women of the State Department, not the President's personal lawyer, should take responsibility for all aspects of U.S. foreign policy towards Ukraine," Sondland said in his prepared opening remarks, which can be viewed in full at the bottom of this story.
"Withholding foreign aid in order to pressure a foreign government to take such steps would be wrong. I did not and would not ever participate in such undertakings. In my opinion, security aid to Ukraine was in our vital national interest and should not have been delayed for any reason."
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