A top U.S. State Department official told House investigators privately Tuesday administration officials told him to "lay low" on matters involving Ukraine in deference to the "three amigos" who assumed control of foreign policy toward the Eastern European ally, Democratic Congressman Gerald Connolly said.
Connolly told reporters George Kent described a May 23 White House meeting during which President Donald Trump's acting chief of staff, Mick Mulvaney, put Energy Secretary Rick Perry, U.S. Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland, and U.S. envoy to Ukraine Kurt Volker in charge of Ukrainian affairs.
Kent testified, "they called themselves the three amigos" and did so in the presence of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in meeting in Kyiv, Connolly said.
Connolly recounted that Kent also told lawmakers the Trump administration was holding up military aid to Ukraine while pressing Zelenskiy to investigate a company linked to the son of political rival Joe Biden.
The Trump-Ukraine scandal was set off when an intelligence whistleblower expressed concern to the inspector general about Trump's July 25 telephone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, during which Trump urged a corruption investigation into the Bidens, including Hunter Biden's job with a Ukrainian energy company.
Trump has described his call with as "perfect" and accuses the Democratic-led house of a witch hunt.
Source : VOA