Impeachment witness admits loyalty to Ukraine president over Trump

The House Intelligence Committee continued interviewing witnesses in hopes that one of them would offer up a “gotcha” moment for their impeachment inquiry investigation into President Donald Trump.

All of the witnesses stated that they didn’t think that anything President Trump said on a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was in any way criminal.

Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman’s testimony Tuesday brought to light that the former Purple Heart recipient originally from Ukraine, advised or warned newly-elected Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to “stay out of U.S. politics.”

The incident happened this past April at a meeting the Vindman attended for the inauguration of Zelensky.

Vindman said that he felt it was necessary to warn the Ukrainian president about an alleged plot by non-government individuals “that were promoting the idea of investigations and 2016 Ukrainian interference.”

Vindman did not think it was prudent of him to share that information with President Trump, who he has admitted to having never spoken to or met.

In response to Chairman Adam Schiff’s question as to why he felt compelled to advise President Zelensky, Vindman made the following statement:

“Chairman, in the March and April timeframe, became clear there were actors in the U.S. …public actors, non-governmental actors that were promoting the idea of investigations and 2016 Ukrainian interference…and it was consistence with U.S. policy to advise any country…all the countries in my portfolio, any country in the world to not participate in US domestic politics,” explained Alexander Vindman.

Trump supporters took to social media to question Vindman’s loyalties to the President and the uniform he wears, for reaching out to the President Zelensky instead of Trump.