Trump, Who Once Called Gordon Sondland a ‘Great American’, Now Says ‘I Hardly Know the Gentleman’

President Donald Trump once called Gordon Sondland ‘a great American’ but on Friday, the President told reporters on the South Lawn of the White House that he barely Sondland. This follows Sondland’s decision to amend his testimony in the impeachment inquiry, essentially confirming that there was a quid pro quo for Ukrainian military aid.

“I hardly know the gentleman,” Trump said of Sondland before going on to say that Sondland said there was no quid pro quo. This despite Sondland saying that he ‘presumed’ there was. Other witnesses have also said as much.

Trump is now saying he doesn’t know Sondland very well, but just one month ago he praised him and said he wanted to protect him from testifying in the impeachment inquiry.

Trump on Gordon Sondland, his Ambassador to the EU and a man who donated a million dollars to his inauguration fund: "I hardly know the gentleman" pic.twitter.com/stlWZzoDoT

— Justin Baragona (@justinbaragona) November 8, 2019

“I would love to send Ambassador Sondland, a really good man and great American, to testify, but unfortunately he would be testifying before a totally compromised kangaroo court, where Republican’s rights have been taken away, and true facts are not allowed out for the public to see,” Trump tweeted on 8 October.

I would love to send Ambassador Sondland, a really good man and great American, to testify, but unfortunately he would be testifying before a totally compromised kangaroo court, where Republican’s rights have been taken away, and true facts are not allowed out for the public….

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 8, 2019

“Importantly, Ambassador Sondland’s tweet, which few report, stated, ‘I believe you are incorrect about President Trump’s intentions. The President has been crystal clear: no quid pro quo’s of any kind.’ That says it ALL!”

Sondland is not a career diplomat. He was appointed ambassador to the European Union after donating $1 million to Trump’s inaugural committee. He is widely regarded as a dyed-in-the-wool Trump supporter – a fact that makes his testimony all the more worrying for the President.

Watch the video above, via CNN/Twitter.