What “Promise” Did Trump Make to Ukraine?

Cheriss May/NurPhoto via ZUMA Press

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The Wall Street Journal reports today that President Trump asked the Ukrainian president “about eight times” in a single phone call to investigate Joe Biden’s son. This was obviously something Trump was pretty obsessed with. However, the Journal report also says this:

Mr. Trump didn’t mention a provision of foreign aid to Ukraine on the call, said this person, who didn’t believe Mr. Trump offered the Ukrainian president any quid-pro-quo for his cooperation on any investigation.

I’m pointing this out because yesterday’s reporting on the whistleblower complaint said the whistleblower was concerned about an alarming “promise” Trump made. This contradicts that reporting.

It’s possible that there are multiple phone calls involved here, or that some of the sources for the past week’s revelations don’t have the full story. Still, there’s a contradiction here.

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BEFORE YOU CLICK AWAY!

“Lying.” “Disgusting.” “Scum.” “Slime.” “Corrupt.” “Enemy of the people.” Donald Trump has always made clear what he thinks of journalists. And it’s plain now that his administration intends to do everything it can to stop journalists from reporting things they don’t like—which is most things that are true.

No one gets to tell Mother Jones what to publish or not publish, because no one owns our fiercely independent newsroom. But that also means we need to directly raise the resources it takes to keep our journalism alive. There’s only one way for that to happen, and it’s readers like you stepping up. Please help with a donation today if you can—even a few bucks will make a real difference. A monthly gift would be incredible.

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