Trump Impeachment News: What President Had To Say About A Key Witness At House Hearing

President Trump on Wednesday dismissed the House impeachment hearings, saying testimony from Gordon Sondland, the U.S. ambassador to the European Union, proves he never tried to pressure Ukraine.

As he was boarding Air Force One for a trip to Austin, Texas, to tour an Apple manufacturing plant, Trump dismissed Sondland’s significance.

“This is not a man I know well,” Trump said of Sondland. “Seems like a nice guy, though.”

He also recounted his conversation with Sondland on Sept. 8 during which Sondland asked him what he wanted from Ukraine.

“I say to the ambassador in response: ‘I want nothing. I want nothing. I want no quid pro quo. Tell [Ukraine President Volodymyr] Zelensky, President Zelensky, to do the right thing,’” Trump said.

Sondland, who made significant donations to Trump’s election campaign, testified in the fourth day of public hearings before the House Intelligence Committee, which is investigating whether Trump abused the power of his office by demanding Ukraine investigate former Vice President Joe Biden, his son, Hunter, and a debunked conspiracy theory.

Trump said Wednesday's testimony should put an end to the inquiry.

Sondland testified earlier everyone was aware Trump was holding back on meeting with Zelensky in the oval office unless he announced the investigations, what he described as a “clear quid pro quo.” Sondland was less clear on whether $391 million in military aid was also being held hostage to the investigations but thought it was.

Asked whether he thought the aid was conditioned on the public announcement of the investigations after speaking to President Trump, Sondland responded “I was absolutely convinced it was” though he was never told that explicitly.

Sondland said Trump wanted the investigations announced but not necessarily conducted.

“I never heard … anyone say that the investigations had to start or had to be completed,” Sondland said. “The only thing I heard from Mr. [Rudy] Giuliani [Trump’s personal attorney] or otherwise was that they had to be announced in some form. And that form kept changing.”

He then added: Well, the way it was expressed to me was that the Ukrainians had a long history of committing to things privately and then never following through. So, President Trump presumably — again, communicated through Mr. Giuliani — wanted the Ukrainians on record publicly that they were going to do these investigations. That’s the reason that was given to me.”