Statement by the Press Secretary on Ambassador Gordon Sondland's Testimony to the House Intelligence Committee

President Donald J. Trump said, "I want nothing. I want no Quid Pro Quo. I want Zelensky to do the right thing." Ambassador Gordon Sondland testified to this in his deposition and repeatedly affirmed it today. That should be the only takeaway from today's sham hearing, and it was stated under oath by the only person in these hearings who has ever spoken directly to President Trump. Though much of today's testimony by Ambassador Sondland was related to his presumptions and beliefs, rather than hard facts, he testified to the fact that President Trump never told him that a White House meeting or the aid to Ukraine was tied to receiving a public statement from President Zelensky.

Over the course of the Democrats' desperate impeachment inquiry, we have heard a great deal of hearsay, conjecture, and outright speculation about whether the President withheld military aid to the Ukraine based on a quid pro quo. The Democrats certainly tried – and have again failed – to make their case by using unreliable and indirect evidence. This country deserves better.

The direct evidence heard at these hearings makes clear that the Democrats' allegations are baseless and a pathetic attempt overthrow the 2016 election. In his July 25 call with President Zelensky, President Trump did not condition any part of the United States-Ukraine relationship on a quid pro quo. President Trump himself released the transcript of that phone call months ago in order to end the wild speculation. In addition, President Zelensky has repeatedly stated that President Trump did not pressure him in any manner.

The facts will clearly not change the Democrats' attempts to harass this President and spread dangerous conspiracy theories throughout the halls of Congress and all over this country. Nor will the Democrats do anything to benefit the American people by passing the USMCA, reducing drug prices, creating jobs and securing the border. In the meantime, President Trump will continue to focus on those priorities. It is sad that Speaker Pelosi, Rep. Schiff, and the rest of the House Democrats continue to focus on their impeachment farce instead of working on behalf of the American people – the people they purport to represent.