Secretary of State Mike Pompeo reportedly lashed out at a reporter for NPR after an interview in which he was questioned about Ukraine and issues that are at the center of the impeachment trial against President Trump.
NPR’s Mary Louise Kelly said during a segment on “All Things Considered” on Friday that Pompeo forcefully questioned whether Americans care about Ukraine and if the veteran journalist — who had recently returned from reporting in Iran — could find the former soviet country on a map.
“He asked, ‘Do you think Americans care about Ukraine?’ He used the F-word in that sentence and many others,” Kelly told her co-host Ari Shapiro, according to a transcript of the program.
“He asked if I could find Ukraine on a map. I said yes, and he called out for aides to bring us a map of the world with no writing. I pointed to Ukraine. He put the map away.”
“He said, ‘People will hear about this,’” Kelly recounted.
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Mike Pompeo — who refused a House subpoena — would be a top witness for Democrats in the impeachment trial.
He is not set to testify, but he spoke to @NPRKelly. She asked the secretary of state if he would defend Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch: pic.twitter.com/1YoGWOSdqb
— Morning Edition (@MorningEdition) January 24, 2020
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Pompeo has rarely given media interviews to mainstream outlets, typically speaking with conservative news or local outlets when traveling outside of Washington. The secretary said he agreed to sit down with NPR’s Kelly to discuss the administration’s strategy on Iran.
Kelly was recently in Tehran and reported on the fallout surrounding the U.S. targeted killing of top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani.
“You know, I agreed to come on your show today to talk about Iran,” Pompeo said when asked if he owed Yovanovitch an apology. “That’s what I intend to do.”
“I have defended every State Department official. We’ve built a great team,” he added.
Pompeo has said in previous media interviews that the State Department is obligated to launch an investigation surrounding the allegations that Yovanovitch was surveilled but has provided no details of any inquiries.
Pompeo grew increasingly irate when Kelly pressed him on his failure to speak out in defense of Yovanovitch after relentless public attacks on her professionalism and character led to her removal.
“Can you point me toward your remarks where you have defended Marie Yovanovitch?” Kelly asked.
“I’ve said all I’m going to say today,” Pompeo answered. “Thank you. Thanks for the repeated opportunity to do so. I appreciate that.”
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JUST IN: Pompeo explodes at NPR reporter, asks if she could find Ukraine on a map https://t.co/Y3rabZ22ip pic.twitter.com/78A12VCHbv
— The Hill (@thehill) January 24, 2020
The coda to @NPRKelly's interview with @SecPompeo is shocking. As described on @npratc: He screamed, swore at her, and said she couldn't find Ukraine on a map. He ordered staffers to bring a blank map. She pointed to Ukraine and thanked him for his time.https://t.co/8HlCDWxCU9
— Ari Shapiro (@arishapiro) January 24, 2020
After the interview, @NPRKelly tells @arishapiro, @SecPompeo "shouted at [her] for about the same amount of time as the interview itself had lasted."
"He asked, 'Do you think Americans care about Ukraine?' He used the F-word in that sentence, and many others." https://t.co/krsUH29kL9 pic.twitter.com/bhNIW4pDNl
— David Gura (@davidgura) January 24, 2020
I love that the administration is complaining that Pompeo’s torrent of f-bombs and abuse was supposed to be off the record.
— Jonah Goldberg (@JonahDispatch) January 24, 2020
TFW the Secretary of State of the USA says "Do you think Americans care about Ukraine?" A diplomat and statesman for the ages.
— Julia Ioffe (@juliaioffe) January 24, 2020
One of many things that is awful about Pompeo's tirade that no one gives a shit about Ukraine and no one can find it on a map: He's not wrong about that if he's talking about Trump's base.
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) January 25, 2020
Pathetically whiney from SecState Pompeo.
If America’s top diplomat can’t handle normal questions from a reporter, he definitely can’t handle America’s diplomacy.
Thinking of all the great Americans who held this job—can’t imagine any being this weak, dishonest, petty. https://t.co/AhxxUNrf5d— Nicholas Grossman (@NGrossman81) January 25, 2020
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