Trump Suddenly Changes His Story on Why He Withheld Ukraine Funds, No Longer Claiming It Was Related to Biden Corruption in Ukraine
September 25th 2019
President Donald Trump Caricature (heblo)
By Oliver Willis
Trump admitted on Tuesday that he held up aid to Ukraine before asking that country’s leaders to dig up dirt on former Vice President Joe Biden. But in the process of making that admission, Trump offered up a new excuse and a shift from his rhetoric the day before.
In Trump’s latest recounting of events, the aid to Ukraine was withheld because other countries did not offer to help — but then he decided to go ahead with the aid, even though the other funds didn’t come through.
“I want other countries to put up money, I think it’s unfair that we put up the money. The people call me, they say ‘oh, let it go,’ and I let it go,” Trump told reporters outside the United Nations.
“But, we paid the money. The money was paid, but very importantly: Germany, France, other countries, should put up money, and that’s been my complaint since the beginning.”
On Monday, Trump said the money was withheld because he was concerned that the Ukrainian government was corrupt.
“We want to make sure that country is honest. It’s very important to talk about corruption. If you don’t talk about corruption, why would you give money to a country that you think is corrupt?” he told reporters.
That explanation changed within hours as well.
Speaking to reporters as he met with the president of Poland, Trump said he never pressured the Ukrainian government over Biden.
“I did not make a statement that ‘you have to do this or I’m not going to give you aid.’ I wouldn’t do that. I wouldn’t do that,” Trump said.
While Trump struggles to keep his story straight, an increasing number of Democrats have been calling for impeachment. For many of them, the tipping point has been the evidence that Trump misused his office in an effort to stymie a potential political opponent via the help of a foreign government.
Trump’s story, which has already gone through multiple iterations in a short 48-hour timespan, still cannot be nailed down as facts continue to emerge.
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