‘Everyone Was In The Loop'

Top US diplomat testifies in impeachment probe against President Trump

- 

A U.S. diplomat said that “everyone was in the loop” about a Trump administration effort to get Ukraine to carry out the investigations that might benefit U.S. President Donald Trump, including Vice President Mike Pence and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

Testifying before the Democratic-led impeachment inquiry, the U.S. ambassador to the European Union, Gordon Sondland, said he “followed the President’s orders” to work with Trump’s personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, who in turn was pushing Ukraine to carry out two probes that could aid Trump’s 2020 re-poll campaign. Sondland’s appearance was significant in that it suggested that a wider array of top U.S. officials than previously known was aware of the pressure campaign against Ukraine, even though his comments prompted carefully worded denials.