President Trump on Tuesday suggested the military should consider additional disciplinary action against Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, who provided damaging testimony against Trump in the impeachment inquiry and was reassigned from his White House job last week.
“We sent him on his way to a much different location, and the military can handle him any way they want,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. “Gen. Milley has him now. I congratulate Gen. Milley. He can have him.”
Gen. Mark Milley is the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Asked specifically if the Pentagon should pursue further action against Vindman, Trump said it would be “up to the military.”
“But if you look at what happened, they’re going to certainly, I would imagine, take a look at that,” he said.
The president’s comments on Tuesday signaled he was open to additional punishment for officials who testified against him in the impeachment inquiry. Some of his allies have sought to cast the ouster of witnesses like Vindman as justifiable reassignments rather than retribution.
………
- Discussion
-
Trump suggests military should consider additional discipline for impeachment witness Vindman after firing https://t.co/Uxg4EyKkbj pic.twitter.com/9arxkFoJ8z
— The Hill (@thehill) February 11, 2020
President Trump: "When you look at Vindman's, the person he reports to said horrible things. 'Avoided the chain of command, leaked, did a lot of bad things.' And so we sent him on his way." pic.twitter.com/TDkAF1cPjx
— The Hill (@thehill) February 12, 2020
This is an extremely dangerous period for America. Sec Def Esper and CJCS Milley in Constitutional dilemma. Do the officers of the Armed Forces obey the Constitution, Federal law, snd DOD Regs OR are they subject to the unconstrained orders of Trump. https://t.co/mFZocOIofL
— Barry R McCaffrey (@mccaffreyr3) February 11, 2020
Thug government gonna thug https://t.co/0TcxiULhDk
— Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) February 12, 2020
Not satisfied with firing the guy. Trump has to destroy him entirely.
Trump pressing the Army to go after Vindman *is* retaliation. Firing him from the NSC was vindictive, but not the same. This is a potential civil-military crisis – yet another one, really – and a moment of truth for DoD and CJCS.
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) February 12, 2020
Question: "Can you still assure that Col. Vindman and his brother there will not be any sort of retaliation?"
Defense Secretary Mark Esper: "I would just refer your questions at this point to the United States Army." pic.twitter.com/KZc9pKDkAH
— The Hill (@thehill) February 12, 2020
There is no one and nothing to stop Trump. And he knows it now.
You must be logged in to reply to this topic.