Former U.S. Ambassador in Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch’s testimony before Congress had less to do with President Trump and more to do with the individuals he’s surrounded himself with.
Trump’s allies have labeled Yovanovitch a Never Trump asset — an accusation that might be true, although it has no bearing on how Yovanovitch conducted diplomacy in Ukraine. In fact, Yovanovitch made it clear on Friday that she supported Trump’s foreign policy in the region. His decision to bolster the U.S.-Ukraine alliance with military aid advanced U.S. interests and made her job easier.
As a result, Yovanovitch was free to pursue an anti-corruption agenda in the region — an agenda handed down to her by former Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, who had both appointed her. But as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs George Kent said on Wednesday, anyone who cracks down on corruption is bound to make some corrupt people mad.
[READ: Fired Ukraine Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch’s opening statement in impeachment hearing]
That’s exactly what happened in Ukraine when Yuriy Lutsenko, former Ukrainian prosecutor general, intentionally spread misinformation about Yovanovitch. Unfortunately, those falsehoods caught on in the U.S., thanks to the likes of Rudy Giuliani and his two business associates, Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman, who were arrested on charges they schemed to funnel foreign money to U.S. politicians.
Trump was given bad advice, and unfortunately, he listened. It’s not clear exactly why Trump chose to recall Yovanovitch, but it’s likely his decision was influenced by Giuliani and others in Ukraine who wanted Yovanovitch gone. Now let’s be clear: As president, Trump has every right to recall a foreign diplomat for any reason he sees fit. Yovanovitch, as she’s admitted, served at the pleasure of the president. But as of yet, no one has offered a good reason for why Yovanovitch should have been removed, defaulting instead to a political “because I said so.”
Trump should not have listened to Giuliani, whose sole concern while meddling in Ukrainian affairs was self-advancement. Trump should have allowed the State Department to issue a statement of support for Yovanovitch, and he should have taken seriously the advice of his foreign officials, who knew much more about Yovanovitch and Ukraine than Giuliani and his gang of criminals did.
