Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman is expected to pay a price for providing crucial testimony in the House’s impeachment investigation into President Donald Trump’s Ukraine pressure campaign, according to multiple reports late Thursday.
According to Bloomberg News and the Washington Post, Trump is posed to have Vindman reassigned from his position as director for European affairs on the White House National Security Council back to the Department of Defense in the coming days.
The White House will attempt to dispel the appearance of retaliation against the military official by portraying his removal as an effort to cut down on staffers in the name of efficiency, Bloomberg News reported.
That was reason for Vindman’s potential expulsion provided by National Security Adviser Robert O’Brien back in November when asked if Vindman would continue working for the council.
Unnamed officials told the Post that Trump has been privately mocking Vindman for wearing his military uniform during the impeachment hearing and his manner of speech.
The Post and Bloomberg both reported that Vindman may not be the only witness to be expelled for their participation in the impeachment proceedings or otherwise perceived disloyalty to Trump.
Trump was acquitted in the Senate impeachment trial on Wednesday. The following day, he gave a victory speech in the White House in which he ranted and raved against those who had lead the impeachment proceedings and Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT), who defected from his GOP Senate colleagues to vote for Trump’s removal in the trial.
