President Trump's handwritten notes as he spoke to reporters on the White House South Lawn before departing for Texas on Wednesday morning. (Photo: Mark Wilson/Getty Images)
Trump began reading notes of what he says he spoke about during an early September phone call with Sondland, who was trying to figure out whether the roughly $400 million in military aid was being linked to whether Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy would publicly announce investigations into the Bidens and a debunked conspiracy involving Democrats and the 2016 election.
At least some of Trump's talking points were captured by a Reuters photographer outside the White House. President Donald Trump holds notes on Ambassador Gordon Sondland's testimony as he departs the White House on Nov. 20, 2019."I want nothing/I want nothing/I want no quid pro quo/Tell Zellinsky to do the right thing," Trump's notes show, apparently referencing testimony from Sondland that that was the president's response when he asked what he wanted from Ukraine.
Trump has been photographed reading from similar, Sharpie-written notes throughout his presidency. Those notes, with letters written in a large, bold font, have contained misspellings like"Achomlishments" during a White House news conference in May and"no colusion" in July 2018.
Trump's comments from the White House South Lawn came as Sondland delivered high-stakes testimony Wednesday. Sondland said there was a clear quid pro quo with regard to Ukraine and that"everyone" was in on it. He said he did not realize that"Burisma" — the Ukrainian gas company former Vice President Joe Biden's son Hunter sat on the board of — was interchangeable with probing the Bidens.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Trump impeachment hearing live updates: Sondland blames Giuliani, Trump for 'quid pro quo'EU Ambassador Gordon Sondland will tell lawmakers this morning that Rudy Giuliani, President Trump’s personal attorney, requested a “quid pro quo for arranging a White House visit for Ukrainian President Zelensky,” and was expressing the desires of Trump.
Read more »
Impeachment live updates: Gordon Sondland to testify on Trump, Ukraine
Read more »
Trump impeachment hearings live updates Day 4: Gordon Sondland testifies'The White House is very wary of this testimony,' jonkarl tells TomLlamasABC ahead of EU Ambassador Gordon Sondland's testimony. 'All along, officials have been telling me he is the wild card.'
Read more »
Trump impeachment hearings live updates: Gordon Sondland testifies.GStephanopoulos as Gordon Sondland prepares to testify: 'Republicans feared he was a wild card. Now he may be turning into their worst nightmare.'
Read more »
Trump ordered Ukraine 'quid pro quo' through Giuliani, key witness Sondland testifies“Mr. Giuliani’s requests were a quid pro quo for arranging a White House visit for President Zelensky,” Ambassador Gordon Sondland said today during the impeachment hearing into President Trump.
Read more »