WATCH: Alexander Vindman’s full opening statement | Trump impeachment hearings
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0:00 - 0:03Mr. Chairman and Ranking Member,
thank you for the opportunity to address -
0:03 - 0:06the House Permanent Select
Committee on Intelligence -
0:06 - 0:09with respect to the activities
relating to Ukraine -
0:09 - 0:11and my role in the events
under investigation. -
0:12 - 0:14I have dedicated
my entire professional life -
0:14 - 0:16to the United States of America.
-
0:16 - 0:17For more than two decades,
-
0:17 - 0:21it has been my honor to serve
as an officer in the United States Army. -
0:21 - 0:22As an infantry officer,
-
0:22 - 0:25I served multiple overseas tours,
including South Korea and Germany, -
0:26 - 0:28and I was deployed to Iraq
for combat operations. -
0:29 - 0:32Since 2008, I have been
a Foreign Area Officer -
0:32 - 0:35specializing in European and Eurasian
politico-military affairs. -
0:35 - 0:39I served in the United States embassies
in Kiev, Ukraine and Moscow, Russia. -
0:40 - 0:41In Washington, D.C.,
-
0:41 - 0:44I was a politico-military affairs officer
for Russia -
0:44 - 0:46for the Chairman
of the Joint Chiefs of Staff -
0:46 - 0:49where I drafted the Armed Forces’
global campaign plan -
0:49 - 0:52to counter Russian aggression
and Russian malign influence. -
0:53 - 0:56In July 2018, I was asked to serve
-
0:56 - 0:58at the White House’s
National Security Council. -
0:59 - 1:03At the NSC I am the principal advisor
to the National Security Advisor -
1:04 - 1:07on Ukraine and other countries
in my portfolio. -
1:07 - 1:10My role at the NSC is to develop,
coordinate, and implement -
1:10 - 1:12plans and policies to manage
-
1:12 - 1:14the full range of diplomatic,
informational, military, -
1:14 - 1:19and economic national security issues
for the countries in my portfolio. -
1:19 - 1:23My core function is to coordinate policy
with departments and agencies.. -
1:24 - 1:27The Committee has heard
from many of my colleagues -
1:27 - 1:30about the strategic importance of Ukraine
as a bulwark against Russian aggression. -
1:31 - 1:33It is important to note
that our country’s policy -
1:33 - 1:37of supporting Ukrainian sovereignty
and territorial integrity, -
1:37 - 1:38promoting Ukrainian prosperity,
-
1:39 - 1:41and strengthening
a free and democratic Ukraine, -
1:42 - 1:43as a counter to Russian aggression,
-
1:44 - 1:48has been a consistent, bi-partisan
foreign policy objective and strategy -
1:48 - 1:52across various administrations,
both Democrat and Republican, -
1:52 - 1:55and that President Zelenskyy’s election,
in April 2019, -
1:55 - 2:01created an unprecedented opportunity
to realize our strategic objectives. -
2:01 - 2:04In the Spring of 2019,
I became aware of two disruptive actors–- -
2:04 - 2:08primarily Ukraine’s
then-Prosecutor Yuri Lutsenko -
2:09 - 2:12and former Mayor Rudolph Giuliani,
President’s personal attorney— -
2:12 - 2:15promoting false narratives
that undermined -
2:15 - 2:17the United States’ Ukraine policy.
-
2:18 - 2:21The NSC and its inter-agency partners,
including the State Department, -
2:21 - 2:24grew increasingly concerned
about the impact -
2:24 - 2:27that such information was having
on our country’s ability to achieve -
2:27 - 2:29our national security objectives.
-
2:29 - 2:34On April 21, 2019, Volodymyr Zelenskyy
was elected President of Ukraine -
2:34 - 2:38in a landslide victory on a unity, reform,
and anti-corruption platform. -
2:39 - 2:43President Trump called President Zelenskyy
on April 21, 2019, -
2:43 - 2:45to congratulate him for his victory.
-
2:46 - 2:49I was the staff officer
who produced the call materials -
2:49 - 2:52and was one of the staff officers
who listened to the call. -
2:52 - 2:53The call was positive
-
2:53 - 2:56and President Trump expressed his desire
to work with President Zelenskyy -
2:56 - 3:00and extended an invitation
to visit the White House. -
3:00 - 3:04In May, I attended the inauguration
of President Zelenskyy -
3:04 - 3:07as part of the Presidential delegation
led by Secretary Perry. -
3:08 - 3:09Following the visit,
-
3:09 - 3:12the members of the delegation
provided President Trump a debriefing -
3:12 - 3:16offering a positive assessment
of President Zelenskyy and his team. -
3:16 - 3:17After this debriefing,
-
3:17 - 3:20President Trump signed
a congratulatory letter -
3:20 - 3:22to President Zelenskyy
-
3:22 - 3:25and extended another invitation
to visit the White House. -
3:26 - 3:31On July 10, 2019, Oleksandr Danylyuk,
then Ukraine’s National Security Advisor, -
3:31 - 3:35visited Washington, D.C. for a meeting
with National Security Advisor Bolton. -
3:36 - 3:40Ambassadors Volker and Sondland
and Secretary Rick Perry -
3:40 - 3:42also attended the meeting.
-
3:42 - 3:43I attended with Dr. Hill.
-
3:45 - 3:49We fully anticipated the Ukrainians
would raise the issue of a meeting -
3:49 - 3:50between the presidents.
-
3:51 - 3:55Ambassador Bolton cut the meeting short
when Ambassador Sondland started to speak -
3:55 - 3:58about the requirement that Ukraine
deliver specific investigations -
3:58 - 4:01in order to secure
the meeting with President Trump. -
4:01 - 4:03Following this meeting,
there was a short debriefing -
4:03 - 4:07during which Amb. Sondland emphasized
the importance of Ukraine delivering -
4:07 - 4:11the investigations into the 2016 election,
the Bidens, and Burisma. -
4:12 - 4:14I stated to Ambassador Sondland
that this was inappropriate -
4:14 - 4:17and had nothing to do
with national security. -
4:17 - 4:20Dr. Hill also asserted
his comments were improper. -
4:20 - 4:24Following the meeting Dr. Hill and I
had agreed to report the incident -
4:24 - 4:27to the NSC’s lead counsel,
Mr. John Eisenberg. -
4:28 - 4:31On July 21, 2019,
President Zelenskyy -
4:31 - 4:34won a parliamentary election
in another landslide victory. -
4:35 - 4:38The NSC proposed that President Trump
call President Zelenskyy -
4:38 - 4:40to congratulate him.
-
4:40 - 4:43On July 25, 2019, the call occurred.
-
4:43 - 4:47I listened in on the call
in the Situation Room -
4:47 - 4:48with White House colleagues.
-
4:49 - 4:54I was concerned by the call,
what I heard was inappropriate, -
4:54 - 4:56and I reported my concerns
to Mr. Eisenberg. -
4:56 - 4:59It is improper for the President
of the United States -
4:59 - 5:00to demand a foreign government
-
5:00 - 5:03investigate a U.S. citizen
and a political opponent. -
5:05 - 5:12It was also clear that
if Ukraine pursued an investigation -
5:12 - 5:15into the 2016 election,
the Bidens, and Burisma, -
5:15 - 5:17it would be interpreted
as a partisan play. -
5:18 - 5:21This would undoubtedly result
in Ukraine losing bipartisan support, -
5:21 - 5:23undermining U.S. national security,
-
5:23 - 5:26and advancing Russia’s
strategic objectives in the region. -
5:26 - 5:31I want to emphasize to the Committee
that when I reported my concerns -
5:31 - 5:33-- on July 10,
relating to Ambassador Sondland, -
5:33 - 5:36and on July 25,
relating to the President -- -
5:36 - 5:38I did so out of a sense of duty.
-
5:39 - 5:43I privately reported my concerns,
in official channels, -
5:43 - 5:46to the proper authorities
in the chain of command. -
5:46 - 5:48My intent was to raise these concerns
-
5:48 - 5:51because they had significant
national security implications -
5:51 - 5:52for our country.
-
5:53 - 5:55I never thought I would be sitting here
-
5:55 - 5:59testifying in front of this committee
and the American public, about my actions. -
6:00 - 6:01When I reported my concerns,
-
6:01 - 6:05my only thought was to act properly
and to carry out my duty. -
6:05 - 6:07Following each of my reports
to Mr. Eisenberg, -
6:07 - 6:10I immediately returned to work
to advance -
6:10 - 6:13the President’s and our country’s
foreign policy objectives. -
6:13 - 6:17I focused on what I have done
throughout my military career, -
6:17 - 6:20promoting America’s
national security interests. -
6:20 - 6:23I want to take a moment
to recognize the courage of my colleagues -
6:23 - 6:25who have appeared
and are scheduled to appear -
6:25 - 6:26before this Committee.
-
6:26 - 6:28I want to state that
the character attacks -
6:28 - 6:31on these distinguished
and honorable public servants -
6:31 - 6:32is reprehensible.
-
6:33 - 6:36It is natural to disagree
and engage in spirited debate, -
6:36 - 6:40this has been the custom of our country
since the time of our Founding Fathers, -
6:41 - 6:43but we are better
than personal attacks. -
6:44 - 6:49The uniform I wear today
is that of the United States Army. -
6:49 - 6:52The members of our all-volunteer force
are made up of a patchwork -
6:52 - 6:58of people from all ethnicities, regions,
and socio-economic backgrounds -
6:58 - 7:01who come together under a common oath
to protect and defend -
7:01 - 7:04the Constitution
of the United States of America. -
7:04 - 7:06We do not serve
any political party, -
7:06 - 7:07we serve the nation.
-
7:07 - 7:12I am humbled to come before you today
as one of many who serve -
7:12 - 7:15in the most distinguished
and able military in the world. -
7:15 - 7:17The Army is the only profession
I have ever known. -
7:17 - 7:20As a young man I decided
that I wanted to spend my life -
7:20 - 7:24serving this nation
that gave my family refuge -
7:24 - 7:25from authoritarian oppression,
-
7:25 - 7:28For the last twenty years
it has been an honor -
7:28 - 7:30to represent and protect
this great country. -
7:32 - 7:34Next month will mark 40 years since
my family arrived -
7:34 - 7:36in the United States as refugees.
-
7:37 - 7:39When my father was 47 years old
-
7:40 - 7:45he left behind his entire life
and the only home he had ever known -
7:45 - 7:47to start over in the United States
-
7:47 - 7:51so his three sons could have
better, safer lives. -
7:51 - 7:54His courageous decision inspired
a deep sense of gratitude -
7:54 - 7:55in my brothers and myself
-
7:56 - 7:59and instilled in us
a sense of duty and service. -
7:59 - 8:03All three of us have served
or are currently serving in the military. -
8:04 - 8:06My little brother stood behind me
here today. -
8:07 - 8:10Our collective military service
is a special part -
8:10 - 8:13of our family’s story
in America. -
8:14 - 8:17I also recognize that my simple act
of appearing here today, -
8:17 - 8:19just like the courage of my colleagues
-
8:19 - 8:22who have also truthfully testified
before this Committee, -
8:22 - 8:25would not be tolerated
in many places around the world. -
8:26 - 8:30In Russia, my act of expressing
concerns to the chain of command -
8:30 - 8:32in an official and private channel
-
8:32 - 8:35would have severe personal
and professional repercussions -
8:35 - 8:38and offering public testimony
involving the President -
8:38 - 8:40would surely cost me my life.
-
8:41 - 8:46I am grateful for my father’s
brave act of hope 40 years ago -
8:46 - 8:49and for the privilege of being
an American citizen and public servant, -
8:50 - 8:54where I can live free of fear
for mine and my family’s safety. -
8:56 - 9:01Dad, I'm sitting here today,
in the US Capitol -
9:01 - 9:06talking to our elected officials
is proof -
9:06 - 9:08that you made the right decision
forty years ago -
9:08 - 9:09to leave the Soviet Union
-
9:09 - 9:12and come here
to United State of America -
9:12 - 9:14in search of a better life
for our family. -
9:14 - 9:17Do not worry,
I will be fine for telling the truth. -
9:18 - 9:19Thank you again for your consideration,
-
9:20 - 9:22I'll be happy
to answer your questions.
- Title:
- WATCH: Alexander Vindman’s full opening statement | Trump impeachment hearings
- Description:
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Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, an Army officer who works for the National Security Council, told the House Intelligence Committee on Nov. 19 that the July call between President Donald Trump and Ukraine's president was "improper." “It is improper for the President of the United States to demand a foreign government investigate a U.S. citizen and political opponent," he said. Vindman and Jennifer Williams, an aide to Vice President Mike Pence, both listened in on a July phone call in which Trump asked the president of Ukraine to investigate former vice president and 2020 presidential candidate Joe Biden and his son, Hunter. In his opening statement, Vindman also said, earlier this year, he became aware of "two disruptive actors" -- Ukraine’s then-Prosecutor General Yuri Lutsenko and Trump's personal lawyer Rudolph Giuliani -- who promoted "false information that undermined the United States’ Ukraine policy."
For more on who’s who in the Trump impeachment inquiry, read: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/whos-who-in-the-trump-impeachment-inquiry
- Video Language:
- English
- Team:
- Captions Requested
- Duration:
- 09:22
Claude Almansi edited English subtitles for WATCH: Alexander Vindman’s full opening statement | Trump impeachment hearings | ||
Claude Almansi edited English subtitles for WATCH: Alexander Vindman’s full opening statement | Trump impeachment hearings | ||
Claude Almansi edited English subtitles for WATCH: Alexander Vindman’s full opening statement | Trump impeachment hearings | ||
Claude Almansi edited English subtitles for WATCH: Alexander Vindman’s full opening statement | Trump impeachment hearings |