A former national security adviser to President Donald Trump says he never witnessed any improper solicitation of foreign leaders when he served in the administration.
Retired Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster says he listened to most calls and meetings with foreign leaders while he served for a year as Trump’s second national security adviser. Trump fired him in March 2018 after repeated clashes.
McMaster spoke Thursday at a security forum hosted by the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.
Congress is conducting an impeachment inquiry based on a whistleblower’s allegation that Trump pressed the president of Ukraine to dig up dirt on a political rival as he delayed military aid to the country. Trump denies wrongdoing, and is fighting Congress over the legality of their inquiry.
Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday repeated his assertion there never was a Trump quid pro quo, in which the president asked the Ukraine leader to investigate the president’s political rival Joe Biden in return for U.S. military aid.
If that occurred, McMaster says such conduct would “absolutely” be wrong and Congress should investigate to determine if it happened.
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