ICYMI: Here's what you missed on Sunday's "Face the Nation", November 10, 2019
As the impeachment inquiry into President Trump is now set to move into the public format, Trump's staunchest allies are on the defensive, still claiming the president has done nothing wrong to warrant removal from office. But Democrats are expected to point directly to weeks of closed-door witness testimony from White House and State Department officials privy to his July phone call with Ukraine as grounds for filing articles of impeachment against the president.
Here's the big takeaways from Sunday's episode of "Face the Nation" with Margaret Brennan
NSA Robert O'Brien says Vindman to be moved from National Security Council, attorney disputes timeline
- NSA Robert O'Brien told "Face the Nation" moderator Margaret Brennan Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, whose Capitol Hill testimony was critical of President Trump's July 25 call with the Ukrainian president, would be removed from his post at the White House National Security Council. After O'Brien's appearance, Vindman's attorney told CBS News that his detail movement was not taking place just yet.
What he said: "There are people that are detailed from different departments and agencies. My understanding is he's- is that Colonel Vindman is- is detailed from the Department of Defense. So everyone who's detailed at the NSC, people are going to start going back to their own departments and we'll bring in new folks. But we're going to get that number down to around 100 people," O'Brien told "Face the Nation."
What the attorney said: "LTC Vindman is still detailed to the National Security Council. His detail ends July 2020. We are not aware of any change in his status."
Why that matters: The discrepancy in timing of Vindman's departure could create questions surrounding the reasoning behind his move in detail. O'Brien appeared adamant on "Face the Nation" that the move was not to be construed with an act of retaliation, but Vindman's attorney notes if it is indeed retribution for speaking out against Trump, the timing of firing a decorated veteran would be particularly noteworthy as the country celebrates Veterans Day nationwide.
Kennedy wants to hear directly from witnesses before deciding on Trump removal
- Republican Senator John Kennedy said that he wants to hear directly from witnesses at the center of the impeachment inquiry before making a final decision on whether President Trump's actions warrant his removal from office.
- What Kennedy said: "Both sides ought to be able to call their witnesses in front of God and country and the American people. And then let the American people decide. And the president and his counsel should be allowed to participate," he told "Face the Nation" on Sunday.
- Why that matters: Kennedy's comments show that Republicans just might be willing to consider the testimony and evidence before them before immediately siding with President Trump in the upcoming public impeachment hearing.
Swalwell says Trump's "extortion scheme" at center of impeachment inquiry
- Rep. Eric Swalwell, a Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, said lawmakers have amassed enough evidence through hours of testimony from current and former administration officials to prove President Trump participated in an "extortion scheme" to pressure the Ukrainian government.
- What Swalwell said: "We have enough evidence from the depositions that we've done to warrant bringing this forward, evidence of an extortion scheme, using taxpayer dollars to ask a foreign government to investigate the president's opponent," Swalwell said on "Face the Nation" Sunday.
- Why that matters: The crimes against President Trump that Democrats are starting to consider as part of the impeachment probe are stacking up. Extortion could now be thrown into the mix of potential "high crimes" against Mr. Trump in trial portion of the impeachment inquiry.
O'Brien "very concerned" about possible war crimes in Syria during Turkish offensive
- National Security Adviser Robert O'Brien said he's "very concerned" about reports of potential war crimes in Syria in the wake of the Turkish-led invasion of territory formerly held by U.S.-allied Kurdish forces.
- What O'Brien said: "We're very concerned about those issues, the war crimes issues," National Security Adviser Robert O'Brien said on "Face the Nation" Sunday. "We're watching them. We're monitoring it very closely. There is no place for genocide, for ethnic cleansing, for war crimes in the 21st century. The U.S. won't stand by for it, and we've made that position very clear to the Turks."
- Why that matters: After Mr. Trump ordered an abrupt withdrawal of the U.S. troops stationed in northern Syria, the Turkish military launched a full-blown offensive with the help of Arab militias to take land held by the Kurds, which the government in Ankara has long accused of fostering discord and terrorism within Turkey. Regardless, the White House is still poised to welcome Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for a formal Oval Office meeting and press conference.