Giuliani: Ukraine quid pro quo intended to benefit Trump personally

After the White House released the transcript of the July 25 call between President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Trump had a defense. He could argue that his mention of the $400 million aid package for Ukraine, and his suggestion that Ukraine investigate Joe and Hunter Biden and Burisma Holdings, did not make the former contingent on the latter.

But Ambassador William Taylor’s opening statement to the impeachment proceedings indicated that the aid was indeed being made conditional upon the announcement of an investigation. And so Trump’s best defense at that point was that they were only linked insofar as Trump cared about investigating Ukrainian corruption, including Biden.