Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was on the July 25 call between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, The Wall Street Journal reported on Monday, citing a senior State Department official.
The revelation could implicate the State Department more closely in the House of Representatives’ ongoing impeachment inquiry into Trump over his request to Zelensky during the call that Ukraine investigate his political rival, former Vice President Joe Biden.
The House Foreign Affairs, Intelligence and Oversight committees last week subpoenaed Pompeo for documents concerning the administration’s contacts with the Ukrainian government.
The committees also plan to depose five State Department officials over the next two weeks regarding Ukraine.
The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Pompeo feigned ignorance about the call on a Sept. 22 episode of ABC’s “This Week with George Stephanopoulos.” In the interview, reporter Martha Raddatz referenced the whistleblower’s complaint that cites the July 25 call and asked Pompeo what he knew about “those conversations.”
“You just gave me a report about a IC whistleblower complaint, none of which I’ve seen,” the secretary said.
Raddatz later said: “You say you know nothing about this, but let me ... ask you this question. The Ukrainian presidential readout of the conversation said they discussed ― quote ― ‘investigation of corruption cases which inhibited the interaction between Ukraine and the USA.’ The president tweeted Saturday: ‘It was a perfectly fine and respectful conversation.’ Do you think it’s ― quote ― ‘perfectly fine’ to ask a foreign leader to investigate a political opponent?”
Pompeo again indicated he knew no specifics about the call, saying simply: “I think I saw a statement from the Ukrainian foreign minister yesterday [that] said there was no pressure applied in the course of the conversation.”
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.