Impeachment inquiry: Rick Perry told me to do it, Donald Trump claims about now-infamous Ukraine phone call
- Donald Trump was reportedly reluctant to speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, but Energy Secretary Rick Perry asked him to
- That phone call is at the centre of a growing impeachment scandal in Washington
US Energy Secretary Rick Perry urged President Donald Trump to talk with Ukraine’s newly elected president, a suggestion that resulted in the telephone call that has triggered House Democrats to launch an impeachment inquiry.
“Secretary Perry absolutely supported and encouraged the president to speak to the new president of Ukraine to discuss matters related to their energy security and economic development,” spokeswoman Shaylyn Hynes said Saturday after the Axios website reported on comments it said the president made about Perry and the origins of the call.
According to the website, Trump told House Republicans on Friday during a conference call that he spoke with President Volodymyr Zelensky at Perry’s urging.
Trump said the only reason he made the call was because Perry asked him to, Axios reported, citing one person it didn’t identify.
“Not a lot of people know this but, I didn’t even want to make the call,” Trump reportedly said, according to one source who recalled the comments.