The Daily

‘We Followed the President’s Orders’

Nov 21, 2019

Gordon Sondland, former U.S. ambassador to the EU, shares his transformation from a Trump supporter to a pivotal impeachment witness. Nicholas Fandos, a Congressional reporter, adds depth to the discussion with insights into the impeachment inquiry's complexities. They delve into Sondland's contradictory testimony about military aid to Ukraine and explore the charged atmosphere surrounding high-profile hearings. The pair discuss the importance of journalistic integrity in uncovering political truths, making it a fascinating conversation about power dynamics and accountability.

26:12

Creator website

Episode guests

Nicholas Fandos

Gordon Sondland

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Episode notes

Intro

3min

Impeachment Insights: Testimony and Tensions

12min

Testimony and Tensions

5min

Testimonies and Tensions: The Impeachment Inquiry

6min

The Unfolding Political Landscape and the Role of Journalism

3min

Gordon D. Sondland, the United States ambassador to the European Union, has evolved from a loyal Trump campaign donor to a witness central to the impeachment inquiry. But his testimony has been contradicted on multiple occasions.

Today, we look at how both Democrats and Republicans on the House Intelligence Committee handled their most complicated witness to date.

Guest: Nicholas Fandos, who covers Congress for The New York Times. For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily.

Background reading:

Mr. Sondland implicated Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in the nation’s biggest foreign policy controversy in nearly two decades. Reciting emails that he had written to Mr. Pompeo, he said that “everyone was in the loop.”
Confused about what this moment might mean? Here are answers to seven key questions about the impeachment process.

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