Retired Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman is sharing his thoughts about President Donald Trump.
Vindman, a key impeachment witness and formerly the National Security Councilâs top Ukraine expert, was asked during an NBC News interview with Lester Holt that aired Monday if he is a ânever-Trumper.â
In response, Vindman said he served the administration âwith the hopes of being able to advance U.S. national security interests,â but things have changed.
âI can say now that I am a Never-Trumper,â he said.
He continued to say that he âwas not a never-Trumper before, I was nonpartisan.â
Vindman also claimed that Trump is âcatering to our adversariesâ:
âRegardless of what administration, I would just try to do the best I could to advance national security interests, but I think as the presidentâs attacked and politicized me directly, in taking a very sober view of where this president has taken this country, the divisions, the catering to our adversaries, the undermining of our national security interests, that I am absolutely a Never-Trumper.â
Vindman served as the National Security Councilâs top Ukraine expert until February.
When Vindman announced his retirement from the military in July, his lawyer said he âwas bullied by the President and his proxiesâ and was faced with a âcampaign of bullying, intimidation, and retaliationâ for testifying during the House of Representativeâs impeachment probe of Trump.
See Vindmanâs comments below:
Vindman also spoke about the president during an interview with The Atlantic recently, where he questioned if he thinks Trump is an âasset of Russian intelligence.â
âPresident Trump should be considered to be a useful idiot and a fellow traveler, which makes him an unwitting agent of Putin,â Vindman answered.
He also said of Trump, âHe has aspirations to be the kind of leader that Putin is, and so he admires him. He likes authoritarian strongmen who act with impunity, without checks and balances. So heâll try to please Putin.â
