Politics

President Trump Reacts To First Day Of Open Impeachment Hearings: ‘Sham’

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Amber Athey Podcast Columnist
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President Donald Trump reacted to the first day of open hearings in the impeachment inquiry Wednesday, calling the process a “witch hunt” and a “sham.”

The president said during a joint press conference with Turkey President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan that he did not watch the hearings, but nonetheless weighed in on the testimonies from Amb. Bill Taylor and George Kent.

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“I hear it’s a joke,” Trump said. “This is a sham and shouldn’t be allowed. It was a situation that was cause by people who shouldn’t have allowed it to happen.”

The president said he wants to find out the identity of the whistleblower because he gave incorrect information about the July 25 call with Ukraine that became the impetus for the impeachment inquiry. Taylor and Kent both claimed in their testimonies Wednesday that they believed military aid to Ukraine was contingent on the country launching an investigation into former Vice President Joe Biden and Burisma. (RELATED: Public Impeachment Hearing Begins With Arguments Over Outing The Whistleblower)

Trump reiterated that he believes the call was “perfect” and “highly appropriate,” adding that many of the impeachment witnesses have not had firsthand information about the call or his policy with Ukraine.

“All you have to do is read the transcript,” Trump declared. “I hear that it’s a hoax and it’s being played as a hoax. That’s what I hear.”

The president also indicated that he will release the transcript of the first call he had with Ukraine on Thursday.