For Republicans and Democrats alike, the testimony of Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman on Tuesday represented a turning point in Washington’s impeachment saga that brought a firsthand witness to U.S. President Donald Trump’s effort to pressure Ukraine—and a man with an impeccable resume—to center stage.
It’s not just that Vindman, an Iraq War veteran and expert on Eastern Europe who is currently the director of European affairs at the National Security Council, was the first serving member of the U.S. military to provide his account of Trump’s actions toward Ukraine and was also the first current White House official to testify before congressional investigators. Nor is it just that he is the first official to have listened in on Trump’s July call with his Ukrainian counterpart to provide an account...
It’s not just that Vindman, an Iraq War veteran and expert on Eastern Europe who is currently the director of European affairs at the National Security Council, was the first serving member of the U.S. military to provide his account of Trump’s actions toward Ukraine and was also the first current White House official to testify before congressional investigators. Nor is it just that he is the first official to have listened in on Trump’s July call with his Ukrainian counterpart to provide an account...