donald trump ukraine - 10 things to know with detail
- 1. Phone call controversy: In July 2019, President Trump had a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, during which he reportedly urged Zelensky to investigate Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden's business dealings in Ukraine.
- 2. Whistleblower complaint: A whistleblower within the U.S. intelligence community filed a complaint about the phone call, expressing concerns about potential abuse of power by President Trump.
- 3. Impeachment inquiry: Following the whistleblower complaint, House Democrats launched an impeachment inquiry into President Trump's actions, accusing him of soliciting foreign interference in the 2020 U.S. presidential election.
- 4. Military aid withheld: Around the same time as the phone call, President Trump ordered the withholding of nearly $400 million in military aid to Ukraine, which raised suspicions of a quid pro quo arrangement.
- 5. Biden investigation: The focus of Trump's request for Ukraine to investigate the Bidens centered on Hunter Biden's involvement with a Ukrainian gas company, Burisma Holdings, while his father was Vice President.
- 6. Rudy Giuliani's involvement: President Trump's personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, played a key role in pressuring Ukrainian officials to investigate the Bidens, leading to accusations of shadow diplomacy.
- 7. Congress investigation: The House of Representatives conducted public hearings as part of the impeachment inquiry, where witnesses testified about Trump's interactions with Ukraine and the withholding of military aid.
- 8. Trump's defense: President Trump denied any wrongdoing and dismissed the impeachment inquiry as a "witch hunt" and a partisan attack by Democrats.
- 9. Senate trial: The House impeached President Trump on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, but the Senate acquitted him in a trial in early 2020.
- 10. Ongoing controversy: The Ukraine scandal continues to be a point of contention in American politics, with Democrats arguing that Trump's actions were impeachable offenses, while Republicans maintain that the President did nothing wrong.