What 'illegal order' is John Kelly referring to about Alexander Vindman?
It’s former White House chief of staff John Kelly’s turn to be the media’s new hero for a moment after he said some mildly critical things about President Trump.
But I’m really confused about the part of his recent speech to some college students that’s getting the most play on cable news because it suggests Kelly has either a false recollection of events or simply doesn’t know what he’s talking about.
Kelly, according to the Atlantic, said in his speech that former National Security Council aide Alexander Vindman did the right thing when he reported having overheard an “illegal order” in the phone call between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, which was at the center of the impeachment.
“We teach them, ‘Don’t follow an illegal order,’” Kelly said. “And if you’re ever given one, you’ll raise it to whoever gives it to you that this is an illegal order, and then tell your boss.’”
What the heck is this about an “order,” illegal or otherwise?
No one testified in the impeachment hearings that Trump gave an order to anyone, least of all Vindman, who was on the call in his capacity as a White House official, not military personnel.
The White House transcript of the call, the content of which has never been refuted, shows no indication of an order.
Trump says to Zelensky, “I would like you to do us a favor,” “I would like you to find out what happened,” and, “I would like you to get to the bottom of it.”
That, again, is Trump speaking to his counterpart in Ukraine, who is under no obligation to do anything for the president of the United States.
True, all evidence suggests Trump was withholding congressionally approved foreign aid for Ukraine, apparently as leverage for getting Zelensky to announce an investigation into Joe Biden and Ukraine’s interference in the 2016 election.
But where is the “order” for anything?
There isn’t one.
There’s no indication that Vindman did anything improper or illegal, either, in telling others, including Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff, that he thought there was something wrong with Trump’s request. But that’s a matter of political disagreement, not an “illegal order.”
Kelly must have misremembered something. Or he doesn’t know what he’s talking about.
But I’m really confused about the part of his recent speech to some college students that’s getting the most play on cable news because it suggests Kelly has either a false recollection of events or simply doesn’t know what he’s talking about.
Kelly, according to the Atlantic, said in his speech that former National Security Council aide Alexander Vindman did the right thing when he reported having overheard an “illegal order” in the phone call between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, which was at the center of the impeachment.
“We teach them, ‘Don’t follow an illegal order,’” Kelly said. “And if you’re ever given one, you’ll raise it to whoever gives it to you that this is an illegal order, and then tell your boss.’”
What the heck is this about an “order,” illegal or otherwise?
No one testified in the impeachment hearings that Trump gave an order to anyone, least of all Vindman, who was on the call in his capacity as a White House official, not military personnel.
The White House transcript of the call, the content of which has never been refuted, shows no indication of an order.
Trump says to Zelensky, “I would like you to do us a favor,” “I would like you to find out what happened,” and, “I would like you to get to the bottom of it.”
That, again, is Trump speaking to his counterpart in Ukraine, who is under no obligation to do anything for the president of the United States.
True, all evidence suggests Trump was withholding congressionally approved foreign aid for Ukraine, apparently as leverage for getting Zelensky to announce an investigation into Joe Biden and Ukraine’s interference in the 2016 election.
But where is the “order” for anything?
There isn’t one.
There’s no indication that Vindman did anything improper or illegal, either, in telling others, including Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff, that he thought there was something wrong with Trump’s request. But that’s a matter of political disagreement, not an “illegal order.”
Kelly must have misremembered something. Or he doesn’t know what he’s talking about.
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