Politics

‘Profit Off The President’: White House Blasts Marie Yovanovitch Book Deal

REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

Anders Hagstrom White House Correspondent
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Former Ukraine diplomat Marie Yovanovitch secured a book deal, the Associated Press reported Friday, leading to criticism from the White House.

Yovanovitch is writing a memoir that has yet to get a title and will be published through Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, according to the Associated Press. Yovanovitch played a central role in President Donald Trump’s impeachment proceedings, testifying in Congress that Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani led a “smear campaign” that led to her eventual firing.

White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham told the Daily Caller the book deal is “Yet another example of a civil servant trying to personally profit off the President. Lets not forget this is a woman the media painted as a victim, and the democrats hailed as a hero who was motivated solely by patriotism. Not even a month later and she has a book deal? It’s self-serving, and I venture to say her motives will not be questioned by anyone in the mainstream media.”

Former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch arrives to testify in the U.S. House of Representatives impeachment inquiry into U.S. President Trump on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., October 11, 2019. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

Former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch arrives to testify in the U.S. House of Representatives impeachment inquiry into U.S. President Trump on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., October 11, 2019. (REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst)

“Yovanovitch’s book will deliver pointed reflections on the issues confronting America today, and thoughts on how we can shore up our democracy,” Houghton Mifflin Harcourt said in an announcement.

Yovanovitch served under as the U.S. ambassador to Ukraine under President Barack Obama, leading to rumors that she wasn’t loyal to Trump when he assumed office. (RELATED: ‘Get Rid Of Her’: Recording Appears To Show Trump Ordering Removal Of Ukraine Ambassador)

“Get rid of her!” Trump could be heard saying, reportedly of Yovanovitch in a recording uncovered by ABC News.

“Get her out tomorrow. I don’t care. Get her out tomorrow. Take her out. Okay? Do it.”

There are no reports of how much Yovanovitch got paid for the book deal, and the White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.