Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez accused President Donald Trump of committing an “outright betrayal” of the U.S. following the release of the transcript of Trump and Urkanian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s phone call Wednesday.
“Folks, I am surprised the White House even released this transcript. It’s worse than we thought,” Rep. Ocasio-Cortez said. “The President sought to use the powers of the United States government to investigate a political opponent.”
“We have no choice but to impeach,” she added, continuing in a tweet thread, “Also – what they are calling a ‘transcript’ isn’t even a transcript. It’s a collection of notes. This is what they are *admitting* to and it’s way above and beyond what is necessary for impeachment. The President engaged in an outright betrayal of our country.”
Also – what they are calling a “transcript” isn’t even a transcript. It’s a collection of notes. This is what they are *admitting* to and it’s way above and beyond what is necessary for impeachment.
The President engaged in an outright betrayal of our country.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) September 25, 2019
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced an impeachment inquiry into Trump’s conduct Tuesday over a whistleblower complaint that he allegedly tried to withhold military aid to Ukraine to pressure the nation to investigate Joe Biden’s son, Hunter.
US Vice President Mike Pence listens while US President Donald Trump makes a statement for the press before a meeting with Ukraine’s President Petro Poroshenko at the Palace Hotel during the 72nd United Nations General Assembly on September 21, 2017 in New York City. (Photo: BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images)
Trump released a transcript of the phone call Wednesday that appears to show that there was no quid pro quo in the call. (RELATED: President Donald Trump Reacts To The Release Of The Ukraine Call Transcript)
The declassified phone transcript of page 4, released by the White House, of a conversation between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy from July 25, 2019 is seen in this photo illustration in Washington, DC on September 25, 2019. (Photo: ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP/Getty Images)
Ocasio-Cortez spoke to reporters Tuesday and said her call for impeachment was at least partially related to “districts experiencing the brunt” of Trump’s policies.
“I think we all, many of us, especially from districts experiencing the brunt of the president’s decisions, have been feeling a sense of urgency around this,” the congresswoman said.