Ambassador Sondland Says He Followed the President's Orders

Gordon Sondland, the U.S. ambassador to the European Union, tells the House Intelligence Committee impeachment hearing that he, Energy Secretary Perry, and Ambassador Kurt Volker were to work with Rudy Giuliani on all Ukraine matters "at the express direction of the president." He says that Giuliani's requests were a "quid pro quo for arranging a White House visit for President Zelensky." He also says that he did not believe at the time that Giuliani's role was "improper" and that had he known he would have objected to working with him. He also says that officials at the National Security Council and the State Department were kept informed of their efforts between May 23 and September 11, when the military aid to Ukraine was eventually released, and that he was never part of an "irregular or rogue" policy operation. He also says he learned of the suspension of the aid over the summer and that he was opposed to the suspension because Ukraine needed it to fight Russian aggression. close