Pompeo endorses work of Ukraine diplomat dismissed by Trump as 'never Trumper'

Source: CNN

Washington (CNN)Secretary of State Mike Pompeo seemed to voice subdued approval of the work of the top US diplomat in Ukraine whose testimony undermined the administration claims that President Donald Trump had not pushed for investigations into his political rivals in exchange for US aid.

Pompeo said he and Bill Taylor, the charge d'affaires in Kiev, are "in full accord" on US policy there, but did not specifically address a question about his confidence in the diplomat himself.

Pompeo, conducting interviews over a two-day visit in Kansas, has been dismissive and evasive of questions surrounding the House Democratic impeachment probe, despite his department's increasing entrenchment in that inquiry. Pompeo sought to downplay the impeachment inquiry as Beltway "noise" in a series of interviews in Wichita, Kansas, on Thursday and Friday -- just days after Taylor presented damning testimony related to a quid pro quo underlying presidential lawyer Rudy Giuliani's efforts in Ukraine.

In his closed-door deposition Tuesday, Taylor said he had been told that "everything" Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wanted, including a White House meeting and military aid to the country, would be held up until he publicly announced the launch of investigations sought by Trump.

Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2019/10/25/politics/pompeo-taylor-ukraine/index.html