© AP: Susan Walsh Mr Trump has maintained his innocence regarding his phone call to Ukraine. US President Donald Trump has unloaded to one of his favourite media outlets, Fox News, after nearly two weeks of nationally televised impeachment hearings that have increased the threat to his presidency.
The commander-in-chief phoned into the right-leaning breakfast show Fox & Friends for a rambling, wide-ranging, 53-minute conversation, which was later described as "stress release" by one of the program's hosts.
Pressure has built on the White House in recent days, as the impeachment inquiry heard damaging testimony detailing a broad Trump administration plot to convince Ukraine to carry out politically motivated investigations.
Trump may survive impeachment - but voters will deliver ultimate verdict
It has been 21 years since Americans have been able to watch the behaviour of their president pulled apart in televised impeachment hearings. © Getty Donald Trump has been accused of abusing his position for personal gain If they were watching this time, they would have seen Donald Trump's integrity questioned in the dry, methodical assessment of two seasoned diplomatic professionals.
The next round of public hearings in the Donald Trump impeachment inquiry continues Tuesday. Fox News will be showing Alexander Vindman and foreign service aide Jennifer Williams — both of who listened in on the July 25 call between Trump and Ukraine president Vladimir Zelenskiy — will testify.
Calling into “ Fox & Friends” after a packed week of hearings where a parade of witnesses alleged Trump denies that. Schiff, D-Calif., is leading impeachment inquiry proceedings in the House, and Trump also went on to blast Holmes, who testified on Thursday that he overheard a conversation
But during his phone call with the most-watched news channel, the President didn't just reject key allegations, he also pushed a conspiracy theory, called Speaker Nancy Pelosi "crazy as a bedbug" and even declared he wants an impeachment trial.
Here are the highlights of Mr Trump's remarks:
1. The sacked ambassador didn't want to hang his portrait
Mr Trump spent much of the conversation trying to discredit impeachment witnesses, who have spoken publicly, claiming he "doesn't know" the majority of them.
In particular, he singled out former Ukraine ambassador Marie Yovanovitch as "the woman" and declared she was "not an angel."
"She wouldn't hang my picture in the embassy," he said.
"She's in charge of the embassy. It took, like, a year and a half, two years."
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After 10 witnesses and more than 30 hours of testimony, public impeachment hearings continued Thursday, with Fiona Hill and David Holmes testifying on Capitol Hill.
Donald Trump gave his first extended interview following this week 's impeachment inquiry hearings to Fox & Friends, and it was what would be expected: A lengthy attack, even a tirade at times, on Democrats, the news media and Ukraine. The hosts at times questioned some of Trump 's assertions.
The impeachment inquiry heard Ms Yovanovitch, who was recalled as US ambassador in May, was fired amid a smear campaign carried out by the President's personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani.
For what it's worth, her lawyers insist the President's official headshot was hung in the Kiev Embassy as soon as it arrived.
2. Ukraine interfered in the 2016 presidential election
The impeachment inquiry centres around an allegation that Mr Trump abused his oath of office by using military aid as leverage to pressure Ukraine to open two politically motivated investigations.
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The fifth day of public hearings in the Trump impeachment inquiry is set to begin at 9 a.m. on Thursday. Holmes said that he heard Trump ask Sondland about the status of "investigations" into his political rivals, just one day after the now-infamous phone call between Trump and Ukrainian
A packed week of impeachment hearings kicks off Tuesday with back-to-back panels featuring a total of four witnesses, some expected to offer sharp criticism of Vindman, Williams, and Morrison all listened in on Trump 's July 25 phone call . Trump on Monday indicated he may testify himself.
The first would have involved one of Mr Trump's top rivals, Joe Biden, and the second would have examined a conspiracy theory that Ukraine, not Russia, interfered in the 2016 US election.
Yesterday, former White House Russia expert Fiona Hill branded the debunked theory "fictional" and testified that it came from "politically driven falsehoods" promoted by the Kremlin.
Bill Clinton advises Trump to ignore impeachment: 'You got hired to do a job'
Former President Clinton (D) on Thursday advised President Trump to leave fighting impeachment to his staff and focus on his agenda. "My message would be, look, you got hired to do a job," Clinton said during a phone interview with CNN. "You don't get the days back you blow off. Every day is an opportunity to make something good happen."And I would say, 'I've got lawyers and staff people handling this impeachment inquiry, and they should just have at it,'" he continued. "Meanwhile, I'm going to work for the American people. That's what I would do.
President Trump on Wednesday said that Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland’s testimony before the House Intelligence Committee should exonerate him of any claims of wrongdoing in the ongoing impeachment inquiry into him. ©2019 FOX News Network, LLC. All rights reserved.
US President Donald Trump disregarded senior advisers and pushed a false theory that Ukraine had meddled in the 2016 election, an ex-White House aide has told the impeachment inquiry. Fiona Hill said the president had instead listened to the views of his personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani.
But during his chat, the commander-in-chief pushed the idea again, claiming that a hacked email server belonging to the Democratic party is somewhere in Ukraine.
"The FBI's never gotten that server," he exclaimed.
"That's a big part of this whole thing. Why did they give it to a Ukrainian company?"
Even the Fox & Friends anchors were unprepared to swallow that. One host pushed back gently:
"Are you sure they did that?"
3. Hunter Biden and democratic politicians should testify in an impeachment trial
It now looks highly likely that the Lower House of Congress, which is controlled by the Democrats, will impeach the President.
During the call, he took out his frustration out on Ms Pelosi, describing her as "totally incompetent", "nuts", "absolutely lost" and "highly overrated".
But if he is impeached, Mr Trump said:
"Frankly, I want a trial."
He claimed a Senate trial would be a chance to call witnesses, like Joe Biden's son Hunter, leading Democrat Adam Schiff, who is currently running the impeachment investigation, and the anonymous CIA official who lodged a formal complaint about Mr Trump's dealings with Ukraine.
Trump: Impeachment has been 'very hard on my family'
The president's comments came one day after the first day of public testimony, and just hours ahead of the Friday appearance of former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch.BOSSIER, La. — President Donald Trump suggested Thursday that the impeachment process was taking a personal toll, calling impeachment a "problem" that had been "very hard on my family.
After two weeks of impeachment hearings , Mr Trump attacked the witnesses and defended his actions. President Donald Trump has pilloried an envoy who testified in the impeachment inquiry Mr Trump told Fox News ' morning show former ambassador Marie Yovanovitch "didn't want to hang
Donald Trump welcomes full-scale Senate impeachment adjudication and says he would make Adam Schiff his first witness – but claims he does NOT He made the statement in an extended call -in interview with Fox News hours after Schiff concluded a week of public impeachment hearings with
"The one I want to testify most is 'Shifty Schiff'," he said.
"He's a corrupt politician."
4. No one will beat him in 2020
A trial before the Senate, which is controlled by his Republican party, would most likely see the President cleared of all charges and remain in office.
It means that the success or failure of this impeachment push will probably be judged on what impact it has on the 2020 election campaign.
The two parties have to sell their positions on impeachment to the public.
Mr Trump took time during the interview to take shots at top Democratic candidates, including:
- Joe Biden: "I don't know if Joe can make it mentally. He's off."
- Elizabeth Warren: "I think Pocahontas has come up from the embers."
- Pete Buttigieg: "I don't see him dealing with President Xi. I don't see him dealing with Kim Jong-un. But maybe he is."
More than anything, this 53-minute call clearly outlined how vastly Mr Trump's views differ to much of the evidence presented so far.
But one consistent theme of his term is that when the commander-in-chief speaks, his supporters back him up, particularly some members of the Fox network.
"So, it's good I get the word out on your show," Mr Trump said as the chat finished.
"I love your show."
Pictures: Impeachment push against President Trump
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Senate Minority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer of N.Y. holds up a copy of a White House-released rough transcript of a phone call between President Donald Trump and the President of Ukraine as Schumer speaks to the media about an impeachment inquiry on President Trump, on Sept. 25, on Capitol Hill.
Ousted ambassador felt ‘big threat;’ Trump assails her anew
WASHINGTON (AP) — Former U.S. Ukraine Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch opened the second day of Trump impeachment hearings Friday providing chilling detail how she felt a “big threat” after being suddenly ousted from her post and learning that President Donald Trump personally called her “bad news” on his July phone call with the Ukrainian president. WASHINGTON (AP) — Former U.S. Ukraine Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch opened the second day of Trump impeachment hearings Friday providing chilling detail how she felt a “big threat” after being suddenly ousted from her post and learning that President Donald Trump personally called her “bad news” on his July phone call with the Ukrainian president.
© ABC News Donald Trump 1. The Trump administration did seek a 'quid pro quo' from Ukraine. A phone call between the American and Ukrainian presidents A White House summit between the pair The President homed in on a conversation with Mr Sondland that the Ambassador recounted in his
Stay with Fox News for live team coverage of the Trump impeachment inquiry hearings today on all platforms! Laura Ingraham says Democrats are trying to make the Trump impeachment inquiry exciting, but Americans just don 't seem to care.
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(L-R) Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Rep. Joe Neguse (D-CO), Rep. Chris Pappas (D-NH), Rep. Deb Haaland (D-NM), Rep. John Sarbanes (D-MD) and Rep. Tom Malinowski (D-NJ) hold a news conference to mark 200 days since they passed H.R. 1, the For the People Act, at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC, on Sept. 27. Following the release of a whistle-blower complaint about abuse of power, the House Democratic leadership announced this week that it is launching a formal impeachment inquiry against President Donald Trump.
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The first page of the unclassified memorandum of U.S. President Donald Trump’s phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is shown on Sept. 27.
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Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., speaks to a coalition of progressive activist groups, including MoveOn.org, holding a rally at the Capitol calling on Congress to impeach President Trump on Sept. 26.
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Members of Congress and activists support an immediate inquiry towards articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump at the “Impeachment Now!” rally on Sept. 26, in Washington, D.C.
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House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) speaks during a weekly news conference on Capitol Hill on Sept. 26, in Washington, DC. Speaker Pelosi discussed an impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump.
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Brett Heinz of Washington and other activists rally for the impeachment of President Donald Trump, on Sept. 26.
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Vermont Gov. Phil Scott speaks at a news conference on Sept. 26, in Essex Junction, Vt., where he said he supports an impeachment inquiry into the actions of President Donald Trump. Scott is the first Republican governor to publicly come out in favor of the impeachment inquiry, but says he wants to know the facts before any further actions are taken.
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Representative Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) speaks to the press after addressing the "People's Rally for Impeachment" in Washington, DC, on Sept. 26.
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A woman hands out fake "special editions" of the Washington Post to passing pedestrians while taking part in a demonstration in support of impeachment hearings in New York, on Sept. 26.
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Ranking member Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., talks to Rep. Mike Conaway, R-Texas, after Acting Director of National Intelligence Joseph Maguire testified before the House Intelligence Committee on Sept. 26.
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A member of the audience holds a copy of the whistle-blower complaint letter sent to Senate and House Intelligence Committees during testimony by Acting Director of National Intelligence Joseph Maguire before the House Intelligence Committee on Sept. 26.
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A woman holds a sign about whistleblowers in a cafe near President Donald Trump’s motorcade as he attends a campaign fundraiser nearby in New York, on Sept. 26.
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Police stand outside of Trump Tower on Sept. 26, in New York City.
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Acting Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Joseph Maguire is sworn in to testify before a House Intelligence Committee hearing on the handling of the whistleblower complaint in the Office of the Director of National Intelligence on Capitol Hill in Washington, on Sept. 26.
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The public impeachment inquiry into US President Donald Trump has moved Ukraine into the global Following a whistleblower's report of possible misconduct by Trump in a telephone call with Should the impeachment process move beyond the inquiry stage, Ukrainian officials would most
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Acting Director of National Intelligence Joseph Maguire testifies before the House Intelligence Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington on Sept. 26.
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House Intelligence Committee Chairman Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., questions Acting Director of National Intelligence Joseph Maguire,as he testifies before the House Intelligence Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington on Sept. 26.
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Acting Director of National Intelligence Joseph Maguire testifies before the House Intelligence Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington on Sept. 26.
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Ranking Member Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., questions Acting Director of National Intelligence Joseph Maguire as he testifies before the House Intelligence Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington on Sept. 26.
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Joseph Maguire testifies on Sept. 26.
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U.S. House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff (D-CA) reacts after conferring with U.S. House Intelligence Committee Ranking Member Devin Nunes (R-CA) as Joseph Maguire, acting director of national intelligence, testifies during a House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, on Capitol Hill in Washington on Sept. 26.
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Joseph Maguire prepares to testify before the House Intelligence Committee on the whistleblower complaint against President Trump on Sept. 26.
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House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) speaks during a weekly news conference on Capitol Hill on Sept. 26 in Washington. Leader McCarthy discussed an impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump.
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Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., arrives at the Capitol, on Sept. 26, just as Joseph Maguire is set to speak publicly for the first time about a secret whistleblower complaint involving President Donald Trump.
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President Trump speaks during a news conference at the InterContinental Barclay New York hotel during the United Nations General Assembly on Sept. 25. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo can be seen standing on the right.
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Pages of a White House-released rough transcript of President Donald Trump's July 25, 2019 telephone conversation with Ukraine's newly elected President Volodymyr Zelenskiy are seen on Sept. 25.
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House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, D-Calif., talks to reporters on Sept. 25.
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Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., is surrounded by reporters as she arrives to meet with her caucus on Sept. 25.
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U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) arrives at a House Democratic Caucus meeting at the U.S. Capitol on Sept. 25, in Washington.
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U.S. Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY), chairman of House Judiciary Committee, arrives with Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-NJ) and Rep. David Cicilline (D-RI) at a House Democratic Caucus meeting, on Sept. 25, in Washington.
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U.S. House Minority Leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) speaks as Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH), Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY), and House Minority Whip Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA) look on during a news conference at the U.S. Capitol, on Sept. 25, in Washington.
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People stop to look at newspaper front pages, from around the US, on display at the Newseum in Washington, a day after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced a formal impeachment inquiry against President Trump, on Sept. 25.
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House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announces the House of Representatives will launch a formal inquiry into the impeachment of President Trump following a closed House Democratic caucus meeting at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, on Sept. 24.
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Protesters with "Kremlin Annex" call to impeach President Donald Trump in Lafayette Square Park in front of the White House in Washington, on Sept. 24.
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Members of the White House press corps, holding in the Trump Bar at Trump Tower, watch House Speaker Pelosi live on television as she announces the impeachment investigation, in New York City, on Sept. 24.
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House Speaker Pelosi walks towards the podium to speak to the media to announce the formal impeachment, on Sept. 24.
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House Speaker Pelosi departs a closed-door meeting with the House Democratic Caucus as support grows within her ranks for an impeachment inquiry amid reports that President Donald Trump pressured Ukraine to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden and his family, on Sept. 24.
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U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) speaks to news reporters following an impeachment proceeding announcement, on Sept. 24.
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House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler (D-NY) leaves a meeting with House Speaker Pelosi and walks to a meeting with the House Democratic caucus to discuss launching possible impeachment proceedings against President Trump, on Sept. 24.
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U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL.) speaks to news reporters following the impeachment proceeding announcement, on Sept. 24.
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Democratic presidential hopeful Joe Biden makes a statement on Ukraine during a press conference, on Sept. 24, in Wilmington, Delaware.
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What Trump Is Hiding From the Impeachment Hearings 
The public impeachment hearings this week will be at least as important for what is not said as for what is. Congress will no doubt focus a lot on President Trump’s dealings with Ukraine and his secret plan to get that government to announce a public investigation of the man he considered his chief political rival, Joe Biden.But think about what the president is trying to hide in the hearings. He has been blocking government officials from testifying before Congress, invoking specious claims of constitutional privilege.
