WORLD NEWS FEBRUARY 8, 2020 / 10:25 AM / UPDATED AN HOUR AGO

In tweets, Trump defends ouster of 'insubordinate' NSC aide Vindman

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday defended the ouster of impeachment witness Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Vindman from the White House National Security Council, calling him “insubordinate” and saying he had incorrectly reported the contents of his “perfect” telephone calls.

Trump tweeted that “Fake News” media kept “talking about ‘Lt. Col.’ Vindman as though I should think only how wonderful he was.

“Actually, I don’t know him, never spoke to him, or met him (I don’t believe!) but, he was very insubordinate, reported contents of my ‘perfect’ calls incorrectly,” Trump said.

Trump added that Vindman was “given a horrendous report by his superior, the man he reported to, who publicly stated that Vindman had problems with judgment, adhering to the chain of command and leaking information. In other words, ‘OUT’.”

Vindman was one of two witnesses who provided the most damaging testimony during Trump’s impeachment investigation, both of whom were ousted by the administration on Friday.

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