US House Speaker Pelosi announces Trump impeachment inquiry News
© WikiMedia (White House)
US House Speaker Pelosi announces Trump impeachment inquiry

US Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi on Tuesday announced the House is moving forward with an official impeachment inquiry after reports surfaced that President Donald Trump called on a foreign power to intervene in the upcoming election.

Press reports state that Trump asked his acting chief of staff to place a hold on $391 million in aid to Ukraine more than a week before a July phone call where the president urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate former US Vice President Joe Biden’s son, Hunter Biden. The transcript of that call was released by the White House Wednesday.

In her speech, Pelosi said that the inspector general of the intelligence community, who is appointed by Trump, determined that the complaint is of urgent concern and is credible. After meeting with House Democrats, Pelosi formally directed six House committees already investigating Trump to continue their investigations under the “umbrella of impeachment inquiry.”

Pelosi further said that the Trump administration’s actions undermine our national security, intelligence, and protections.

This week, the president has admitted to asking the president of Ukraine to take actions that would benefit him politically. The actions of the Trump presidency revealed the dishonorable fact of the presidents betrayal of his oath of office, betrayal of our national security, and betrayal of the integrity of our elections.

Trump has labeled the impeachment inquiry a “witch hunt” and has tweeted that the inquiry is presidential harassment.