Trump accuses impeachment witness of lying, defends use of Giuliani

By Lisa Lambert, Steve Holland and Jonathan Landay

 

U.S. President Donald Trump adjusts his jacket during a tour of Apple's Mac Pro manufacturing plant in Austin, Texas, U.S., November 20, 2019. REUTERS/Tom Brenner

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump on Friday accused a witness in the Democratic-led impeachment inquiry of lying and offered an explanation for his controversial use of his personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani on Ukraine policy, saying Giuliani's crime-fighting abilities were needed to deal with a corrupt country.

 

Trump made his remarks the day after the fifth and final scheduled day of public hearings in the U.S. House of Representatives inquiry, which threatens his presidency even as he seeks re-election in November 2020.

 

The Republican president took issue with testimony on Thursday by David Holmes, a U.S. embassy official in Ukraine.

Holmes said under oath that at a Kiev restaurant he overheard a July 26 cellphone conversation in which Trump loudly pressed Gordon Sondland, the U.S. ambassador to the European Union, for details on whether Ukraine would carry out politically motivated investigations the president was seeking.

 

"I guarantee you that never took place," Trump told Fox News Channel's "Fox & Friends" program.

 

"That was a total phony deal," he added.

 

Trump appointed Sondland to the envoy post after the wealthy Oregon hotelier donated $1 million to his inaugural committee. While Sondland in testimony described an easygoing relationship between the two, Trump said on Friday he had spoken with him "a few times," adding, "I hardly know him, OK?"

 

In another development, Trump's former national security adviser John Bolton said that Twitter Inc <TWTR.N> had returned control to him of his personal account. He accused the White House of blocking his access to it after he left his post in September.

 

In a post on the account, Bolton asked whether the White House had done so "out of fear of what I may say?" A person close to Bolton told Reuters there were numerous requests made to the White House on Bolton's behalf to stop blocking his access before going to the company to regain control.

 

Bolton so far has declined to cooperate in the impeachment inquiry.

 

Later on Friday, Bolton told reporters at the Union Station in Washington: "We have regained control of the Twitter account. Twitter detached the White House."

 

Asked if he was prepared to testify at the impeachment hearings, Bolton said: "I have no comment."

 

Trump, a prolific Twitter user, denied in the Fox interview that Bolton's access had been blocked by the White House.

Twitter did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

 

Testimony at the hearings put a spotlight on Trump's decision to give Giuliani, a private citizen with no formal job in his administration, an outsized role to shape American policy toward Ukraine rather than using the U.S. government's usual diplomatic and national security channels.

 

Bolton is among the various U.S. officials described as being alarmed at Giuliani's actions, including pushing Ukraine to conduct two investigations that could harm Trump's political adversaries. Former White House Russia expert Fiona Hill recalled how Bolton called Giuliani "a hand grenade who's going to blow everybody up."

 

During the hearings, current and former White House officials and diplomats voiced alarm at Giuliani's activities.

 

Trump said Giuliani was the right person for the job.

 

"He's like an iconic figure in this country for two reasons. He was the greatest mayor in the history of New York and he was the greatest crime fighter probably in the last 50 years," Trump said of Giuliani, who previously served as the mayor of the largest U.S. city and as a federal prosecutor.

 

"He's also a friend of mine. He's a great person," Trump added. " ... When you're dealing with a corrupt country - if Rudy Giuliani - he's got credentials because of his reputation... When Rudy Giuliani goes there and you hear it's a corrupt country, I mean, it means a lot."

 

Trump did not address what he actually told Giuliani to do.

 

TRUMP CALL

 

A focus of the inquiry is a July 25 telephone call in which Trump asked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to open two investigations.

 

One involved Joe Biden, a top contender for the Democratic nomination to face Trump in the 2020 presidential election, and his son Hunter Biden, who had worked for Ukrainian energy company Burisma. Trump has accused Biden of corruption, but has not provided evidence. Biden has denied wrongdoing.

 

The other investigation involved a debunked conspiracy theory promoted by Trump and his allies that Ukraine meddled in the 2016 U.S. presidential election to hurt his candidacy and boost Democratic rival Hillary Clinton. Trump touted that theory again on Friday.

 

U.S. intelligence agencies and former Special Counsel Robert Mueller determined that Russia used a campaign of propaganda and hacking to interfere in the election to try to help Trump win.

 

Testimony in the impeachment inquiry has shown that Trump in May instructed top U.S. officials to work with Giuliani on Ukraine policy. This came after the president removed Marie Yovanovitch as U.S. ambassador to Ukraine at Giuliani's urging even as the former mayor was pressing officials in Kiev to conduct the two investigations.

 

Democrats also are looking into whether Trump abused his power by withholding $391 million in security aid to Ukraine as leverage to pressure Kiev into digging up dirt on his political adversaries. The money - approved by the U.S. Congress to help Ukraine combat Russia-backed separatists in the eastern part of the country - was provided to Ukraine in September only after the controversy spilled into public view.

 

Trump said Ukraine is "known as being the third most corrupt country in the world."

 

"Are we going to be sending massive amounts of money to a country and they're corrupt and they steal the money and it goes into everybody's bank account?" Trump told Fox News.

 

Ukraine ranked 120 out of the 180 countries assessed in Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index in 2018. Its score of 32 out of 100 on the index, which is widely used by companies when deciding where to do business, indicates Ukraine has serious corruption issues.

 

If the Democratic-led House approved articles of impeachment - formal charges - against Trump, the Senate would then hold a trial on whether to convict Trump and remove him from office. Trump's fellow Republicans control the Senate and have shown little support for removing him.

 

"I want a trial," Trump told Fox News.

 

(Reporting by Steve Holland, Jonathan Landay and Lisa Lambert; Additional reporting by Katie Paul in San Francisco; Writing by Will Dunham; Editing by Grant McCool and Rosalba O'Brien)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-11-23

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16 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

President Donald Trump on Friday accused a witness in the Democratic-led impeachment inquiry of lying

Yes, everyone else is a liar. Trump has NEVER lied or done anything wrong; he is just misunderstood.

 

Cry Cry

 

Wah Wah

 

Sob Sob

 

What a whiny, whiny baby.

 

I have both friends and family who are American, and I am deeply embarrassed for them. Trump is turning the US's credibility and honour into the equivalent of a dumpster fire

 

It is a sad, sad thing to watch.

 

 

7 minutes ago, Tug said:

Sooooo let me seeee the guy that just got fined 2 million dollars for running a scam charity or a career diplomat putting his career on the line for his love of country 

Trump apologists will will come out and claim this is false, but this crime just got eclipsed by the MOUNTAIN OF OTHER CRIMES sucking up the spotlight.

I really feel sorry for Trump, surrounded by all those guilty liars. People! We need to PRAY for this president. Psalm 109:8

If they accuse the Liar of Lying, then they must Lie!

 

Gospel of Judas; 3;27

 

 

Trump is losing what's left of his mind.  Time for another psyche exam!

why do they even post these articles? Of Course trump says they are lying, what else will he say?  

Show of hands: how many were expecting to wake up today and hear him proclaim "from this day on I shall be an honest man" ?

 

He lies and Fox/NY Post legitimizes it.

But sometimes they'll lie for him.

 

 

17 minutes ago, J Town said:

Trump apologists will will come out and claim this is false, but this crime just got eclipsed by the MOUNTAIN OF OTHER CRIMES sucking up the spotlight.

I’m not sure how you already know what Trump apologists will say when they don’t yet know themselves.

 

FOX News has yet to broadcast today’s Trump excuses, but they’ll be along soon enough.

 

 

The problem for trump is that the other guy on the call said its true.

 

But donald, please go give evidence if you want to accuse anyone. Do it under oath.

I can see what's coming should there be a senate trial, I really, really wanted to appear but my foot spurs were playing up.

That country is in free fall. Don't  expect anything of substance done about all this. Bush the Younger started an illegal war which killed 100,000's but walks free today. Wall St banksters nearly took down the world economy and none were even charged. Then they preach morals to the rest of us. The more Trump withdraws the USA into it's cocoon the better for all.

???????????? Trump accused someone of lying ????

According to Trump there are only 2 kinds of witnesses with testimony that works against him:

hearsayers and liars.

1 hour ago, rooster59 said:

When you're dealing with a corrupt country - if Rudy Giuliani - he's got credentials because of his reputation... When Rudy Giuliani goes there and you hear it's a corrupt country, I mean, it means a lot."

Hahaha, this is just insane. 

Rudy knows nothing except how to ki$$ his bosses a$$, so he can stay famous on Fox News and make lots of money

1 hour ago, rooster59 said:

When Rudy Giuliani goes there and you hear it's a corrupt country, I mean, it means a lot."

A bit like saying "When John Bolton says I'm too right wing, I mean, it means a lot".

He's so believable!

 

Link: At least 18 false claims in Trump's 'Fox & Friends' interview

"The President ranted dishonestly for much of his 53-minute interview with his favorite morning show"

 

Meanwhile:

 

Link: Trump keeps doing favors for Putin

 

I'm hoping every day when I start my PC to learn that the McD diet finally has worked its magic. The traitor really has to go.

2 hours ago, rooster59 said:

I guarantee you that never took place," Trump told Fox News Channel's "Fox & Friends" program.

(Above refers to that Restaurant call, Trump/Sondland, overheard by Holmes)

That call was not made on a secure phone. I won't be surprised if a "spy organization"  recorded it and it comes out eventually. Most probable would be Russia. That means Putin has another bargaining chip against Trump, which also means that it may never surface.

Too bad. It would have proved one more of many Trump lies.

 

"We'll see, we'll see what happens"

2 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

I’m not sure how you already know what Trump apologists will say when they don’t yet know themselves.

 

FOX News has yet to broadcast today’s Trump excuses, but they’ll be along soon enough.

Even Faux Noise' Steve Doocie (sp?) had to ask Trump several times "Are you sure that's really what happened?" when Trump started spewing obvious blatant ???? about how Ukraine had the DNC server in their hands. He's coming off the rails and spinning, spinning, spinning . . .

Some posts with off topic generalizations have been removed. 

4 hours ago, Becker said:

He's so believable!

 

Link: At least 18 false claims in Trump's 'Fox & Friends' interview

"The President ranted dishonestly for much of his 53-minute interview with his favorite morning show"

 

Meanwhile:

 

Link: Trump keeps doing favors for Putin

 

I'm hoping every day when I start my PC to learn that the McD diet finally has worked its magic. The traitor really has to go.

Very funny interview that Fox News is trying to hide.

One example of obvious lying:

The timing of Schiff's comments

Trump said that Schiff made up what Trump said on the call with Zelensky, but then, when Trump released his rough transcript of the call, everybody was "embarrassed."

Ah!Ah!

When he can ever supply real evidence with his rants and ravings people may listen to him.

No more questions your honor

 

One more of those videos which give us a good idea about the state of mind of POTUS.

 

Everybody is lieing

8 minutes ago, Whip said:

Everybody is lieing

And some much more than others!

Trump said, "I just got back from Austin, Texas, where I was with Tim Cook. He's going to be building a $1 billion facility to make whatever he makes. You know, that's Apple. And he's gonna build this incredible facility. We toured another facility where they make the Mac Pro, which is phenomenal, which was opening -- the reason we, you know -- it opened that day."

Facts First: The plant Trump visited did not open that day. The Flex Ltd. facility has been making Apple's Mac Pro computers since 2013. ????

https://edition.cnn.com/2019/11/22/politics/fact-check-trump-fox-and-friends-november/index.html

 

One can always see, read and hear the deficiencies of Trump when it comes to accuracy, precision and logical - networked thinking.

How long will it take for the majority of US Americans to realize that Trump is unfit as president?

It's like a butcher stands in the operating room for heart transplant surgery and gives the orders.

28 minutes ago, tomacht8 said:

One can always see, read and hear the deficiencies of Trump when it comes to accuracy, precision and logical - networked thinking.

How long will it take for the majority of US Americans to realize that Trump is unfit as president?

It's like a butcher stands in the operating room for heart transplant surgery and gives the orders.

 

The problem and its a big problem is that his fans don't care. Also they'll still be around after he leaves the white house whenever that happens. The USA's enemies can't believe how well this is going for them. 

32 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

 

The problem and its a big problem is that his fans don't care. Also they'll still be around after he leaves the white house whenever that happens. The USA's enemies can't believe how well this is going for them. 

Best move Putin ever did was helping his stooge (at best) to power. Trump is the gift that keeps on giving for the world's despots.

And you're right, his base supporters would rather see Putin in the WH than a democrat - they're that far gone

11 hours ago, J Town said:

Trump apologists will will come out and claim this is false, but this crime just got eclipsed by the MOUNTAIN OF OTHER CRIMES sucking up the spotlight

Of course it's false. Just more of the fake news focused on the the President. ???? 

MAGA