Impeachment Inquiry 2020: President Trump Releases Transcript Of Ukraine Call

President Trump on Wednesday released a transcript of the phone call at the center of the impeachment inquiry authorized by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in which Trump told Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky that whatever he could do to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden "would be great."

Trump's personal attorney Rudy Giuliani has admitted he asked Ukrainian officials to investigate Biden and pass on whatever dirt is dug up in a bid to advance Trump’s re-election campaign. Just days before the July 25 call, Trump put a hold on nearly $400 million in military aid to Ukraine.

The transcript, which was put together from notes and is not verbatim, includes Trump telling Zelensky that he authorized Attorney General William Barr to take part in the investigation and "whatever you can do with the attorney general would be great."

Trump reminds Zelensky how much the United States has done for the country and bashes European allies for not doing enough. He then asks Zelensky for a favor, stopping short of threatening to withhold aid if Zelensky did not fall into line.

“I would like you to find out what happened with this whole situation with Ukraine … I would like to have the attorney general call you or your people and I would like you to get to the bottom of it,” Trump said in referring to debunked allegations Biden wielded his influence to benefit his son, Hunter.

Joe Biden had led U.S. efforts to bolster Ukraine’s fledgling democracy after the ouster of pro-Russian leader Viktor Yanukovych. Hunter Biden was hired by a Burisma Holdings, which had ties to Yanukovych, as a board member for $50,000 a month. An earlier investigation found no evidence of wrongdoing by either Biden.

“There’s a lot of talk about Biden’s son, that Biden stopped the prosecution and a lot of people want to find out about that, so whatever you can do with the attorney general would be great,” Trump said. “Biden went around bragging that he stopped the prosecution, so if you can look into it … It sounds horrible to me.”

Zelensky responds by assuring Trump that whomever he appoints as a prosecutor will “look into the situation, specifically to the company that you mentioned in this issue.” He also asks for any information the U.S. could provide.

“I will have Mr. Giuliani give you a call and I am also going to have Attorney General Barr call and we will get to the bottom of it,” Trump said. “I’m sure you will figure it out.” He then assures Zelensky the Ukraine economy “is going to get better and better.”

Later in the day, on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly meeting, Trump met with Zelensky. In speaking with reporters afterward, Zelensky said he had not felt pressured during the July 25 call.

Trump then tweeted since he was transparent about the call, Biden and the Democrats should be transparent.

Pelosi on Tuesday authorized a formal impeachment inquiry of Trump, saying the president had violated his oath of office. The inquiry followed White House refusal to forward the whistleblower complaint to the inspector general for the intelligence agencies, which had been marked urgent.