By late August, pressure was beginning to build for the White House to release the aid.
The White House's response was to clamp down the lid further, and keep the aid on hold—always citing Trump's personal authority to do so.
The White House's response was to clamp down the lid further, and keep the aid on hold—always citing Trump's personal authority to do so.
Administration officials expressed concerns to White House lawyers.
Senators expressed concerns to the administration.
Trump refused to budge—or explain his rationale.
Senators expressed concerns to the administration.
Trump refused to budge—or explain his rationale.
In September, the hold on aid, and the corrupt reason behind it, was released to the public.
That started a frantic effort to create an after-the-fact rationale for the hold—the records of which the administration has continued to hide from Congress and the American people.
That started a frantic effort to create an after-the-fact rationale for the hold—the records of which the administration has continued to hide from Congress and the American people.
"The only logical conclusion...is that the president lifted the hold on September 11 because he got caught...If the hold was put in place for legitimate policy reasons, why lift it arbitrarily with no explanation?"
All of Trump's after-the-fact justifications are little more than lip service.
There is no evidence whatsoever that he pushed Ukraine for anti-corruption reforms, or pushed the EU to increase its donations.
There is no evidence whatsoever that he pushed Ukraine for anti-corruption reforms, or pushed the EU to increase its donations.
Trump was days away from succeeding, in both his extortion scheme and the subsequent coverup.
He would have succeeded, had somebody not blown the whistle.
He would have succeeded, had somebody not blown the whistle.
