Trump Says He Might Release Transcript of Initial Call with Ukraine’s President
President Donald Trump has said he will release the transcript of another phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as pressures on his administration mount amid the ongoing impeachment inquiry. Speaking to reporters on the South Lawn of the White House, Trump appears to have brought up the call unprompted.
Trump on the South Lawn tells reporters that he will release a second transcript, @HansNichols reports
— Geoff Bennett (@GeoffRBennett) November 8, 2019
“It’s a very simple thing,” Trump said. “I had a very good call with the president of Ukraine. I assume that’s what you’re talking about. The call was perfect. Now they’re after — I have a second call, which nobody knew about, and I get they want that call to be produced, also.”
“So I had a connect call with the president which actually came before this one and now they all want that one. And if they want it, I’ll give it to them. I haven’t seen it recently, but I’ll give it to them. I understand they would like it and I have no problem giving it to them.”
Trump is apparently referring to his initial call with Zelensky following his victory in the Ukrainian presidential election. It’s not clear what could have been said in that call that would prove exculpatory for Trump.
Trump earlier: I have a second call, which nobody knows about, and I guess they want that to be produced, as well. If they want it, I’ll give it to them. I have no problem giving it to them. https://t.co/qlX01vC8Gc
— Geoff Bennett (@GeoffRBennett) November 8, 2019
Trump has repeatedly pointed to the reconstructed transcript of his call with Zelensky as evidence that there was no wrongdoing and no quid pro quo. Others, however, say the exact opposite: that the partial transcript the White House released shows clear evidence of a quid pro quo.
It remains to be seen whether the President will in fact release a transcript of this call as evidence, include credible witness testimony, mounts that his personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani was running a shadow foreign policy in Ukraine.
Watch the video above, via CNN.
