SECONDNEXUS
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Republicans on the House Intelligence Committee are scrambling after Ambassador to the European Union—Gordon Sondland—threw President Donald Trump under the bus with his testimony after many Trump allies expected him to side with the President.
Donald Trump himself is backtracking as well, saying to reporters shortly after Sondland's damning opening statement:
"I don’t know him very well. I have not spoken to him much. This is not a man I know well. He seems like a nice guy though."
Watch below.
Amid Amb. Gordon Sondland's testimony, Pres. Trump says, "I don't know him well. I have not spoken to him much. Thi… https://t.co/Be1syxyneh— ABC News (@ABC News) 1574269638.0
There's just one problem: Trump was happy to vouch for Sondland's character back when he thought Sondland would testify in his defense.
In multiple tweets, he even said he'd be happy to have Sondland testify.
....Ambassador Sondland did not tell us, and certainly did not tell me, about a connection between the assistance a… https://t.co/y4aLvLfaXN— Donald J. Trump (@Donald J. Trump) 1573793537.0
....to see. Importantly, Ambassador Sondland’s tweet, which few report, stated, “I believe you are incorrect about… https://t.co/4qtYbM0kH6— Donald J. Trump (@Donald J. Trump) 1570541015.0
It's also worth noting that Sondland—a career hotelier—donated $1 million to the Trump campaign.
In his original closed door testimony, Sondland said there was no quid pro quo in the Trump administration's dealings with Ukraine. After later testimony from acting Ambassador to Ukraine William Taylor contradicted this, Sondland amended his statement after suddenly recalling that he'd presented the existence of a quid pro quo to Taylor and others.
In his opening statement at Wednesday's public hearing, Sondland said Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani's effort to pressure Ukraine to investigate Biden was taken on behalf of the President of the United States and that numerous high-level Trump administration officials, including Vice President Mike Pence and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
That's when Republicans, including Trump, played dumb. People noticed.
Trump, Oct. 8: Sondland is "a really good man and great American" Trump, Nov. 20: "I don't know him very well. I… https://t.co/VTiQBMIhte— Lis Power (@Lis Power) 1574268821.0
@mkraju But Sondland had his phone number and could call him anytime he wanted? But he hardly knew him? 🤣🤣🤣— MarciaMarciaMarcia (@MarciaMarciaMarcia) 1574270405.0
@mkraju He doesn't know a 1 million dollar donor to his campaign. Bullsh!t— Night Mists 🌜🌃🎭🎑🌌🎑🎭🌃🌛 (@Night Mists 🌜🌃🎭🎑🌌🎑🎭🌃🌛) 1574270459.0
@mkraju If @SecPompeo testifies I wonder if @realDonaldTrump will remember him 💁♀️💁♀️💁♀️💁♀️— Jennifer Figueroa (@Jennifer Figueroa) 1574270819.0
@mkraju That was predicted! Trump loves them and knows them well enough to say "what a great guy" until he doesn't.… https://t.co/EDJncOpCMX— Lulu (@Lulu) 1574270423.0
Some thought Trump's dismissal rang familiar with his claim that George Papadopoulos, a former foreign policy advisor to Trump's 2016 campaign, was nothing more than a "coffee boy." Trump dismissed Papadopoulous's role after he was arrested in light of findings from the Mueller investigation.
@mkraju Sondland gets the “coffee boy” treatment— Jennifer Tammaro (@Jennifer Tammaro) 1574270342.0
@mkraju Million Dollar Coffee Boy— Mike Lewis (@Mike Lewis) 1574270377.0
@mkraju So, now Sondland was the coffee boy?— Ellen (@Ellen) 1574270977.0
@mkraju So, now Sondland was the coffee boy?— Ellen (@Ellen) 1574270977.0
Trump now claims that he's been vindicated by Sondland's testimony, because Sondland asserted that Trump explicitly told him "no quid pro quo" in a phone conversation between the two.
What he's failed to mention is that the phone call occurred on September 9—the day the House Intelligence Committee received the whistleblower complaint that spurred the impeachment inquiry.