Trump Fires Gordon Sondland, Ambassador Who Testified in Probe

(Bloomberg) -- Gordon Sondland, the U.S. ambassador to the European Union who testified in the House impeachment inquiry against President Donald Trump, said he has been fired.

Sondland, a hotelier from Portland, Oregon, who contributed $1 million to the Trump inaugural committee, offered some of the most damning testimony of the impeachment saga. He confirmed there had been a “quid pro quo” regarding Trump demands that Ukraine investigate his political enemies and that top aides, including Secretary of State Michael Pompeo, knew exactly what was going on.

“I am grateful to President Trump for having given me the opportunity to serve, to Secretary Pompeo for his consistent support, and to the exceptional and dedicated professionals at the U.S. Mission to the European Union,” Sondland added in the statement.

His dismissal came on the same day that Alexander Vindman, who also gave testimony in the impeachment inquiry, was escorted out of the White House. Vindman worked on the National Security Council, as did his twin brother, Yevgeny, a senior lawyer and ethics official, who also was escorted out on Friday, without explanation, according to Alexander Vindman’s lawyer.

Sondland insinuated himself into Ukraine policy, although that country is not part of the EU, and played a key role in conveying the demands to Ukraine for political investigations in exchange for military aid.

He has returned to his post in Brussels, but numerous people in the State Department say he has been sidelined and no longer has a hand in important policy matters like Ukraine.

Calls to Sondland went unanswered.

To contact the reporter on this story: John Harney in Washington at jharney2@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Michael Shepard at mshepard7@bloomberg.net, Linus Chua

©2020 Bloomberg L.P.