President Trump fires two top officials in post-impeachment outburst
8 February 2020, 19:35
Just days after President Donald Trump was acquitted in his impeachment trial, he has fired two of his top officials.
The US Ambassador to the European Union and the most senior White House expert on Ukraine have been removed from their jobs.
Both men testified against the president during his impeachment trial.
Gordon Sondland, who testified that Trump sought a "quid pro quo" with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, has been recalled from his role as Ambassador to the European Union.
Mr Sondland gave some of the strongest evidence against President Trump during the trial.
He issued a statement on Friday saying he was being recalled from his post by the president.
Just days earlier, Army Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Vindman was removed from his National Security Council role, according to his lawyer.
During the impeachment inquiry, he alleged that Mr Trump had made an "improper demand" of President Zelenskiy during a phone call in July.
His lawyer said: "There is no question in the mind of any American why this man's job is over, why this country now has one less soldier serving it at the White House.
"LTC Vindman was asked to leave for telling the truth."
He continued: "The most powerful man in the world - buoyed by the silent, the pliable, and the complicit" had "decided to exact revenge".
President Trump was been acquitted by the Senate of charges of abuse of power and obstruction, bring to an end the third presidential impeachment in American history.
The chamber voted on two articles of impeachment - one claiming Trump abused power by pressuring the Ukrainian president to investigate the son of Joe Biden by withholding military aid, and the second claiming he withheld evidence from Congress during the investigation.
