(CNN)The top US diplomat in Ukraine, Bill Taylor, told Congress in new testimony Wednesday that President Donald Trump cared more about an investigation of former Vice President Joe Biden than he did about Ukraine.
Taylor on Wednesday revealed in his opening statement he'd learned additional information, testifying at the first House impeachment hearing that his staff was told the President's interest in Ukraine was the "investigations of Biden."
Taylor testified that an aide told him of a phone conversation Trump had with US Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland on July 26, one day after Trump's phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Taylor's aide, who was accompanying Sondland to meetings in Kiev with Ukrainian officials, could hear Trump asking Sondland about the investigations, Taylor testified. Sondland "told President Trump that the Ukrainians were ready to move forward," Taylor said.
Taylor testified that his aide later asked Sondland what Trump thought of Ukraine.
"Ambassador Sondland responded that President Trump cares more about the investigations of Biden, which (Trump personal attorney Rudy) Giuliani was pressing for," Taylor said.
House Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff, a California Democrat, asked Taylor if Sondland's statement meant that Trump cared more about the investigations "than he does about Ukraine?"
"Yes, sir," Taylor responded.
Taylor on Wednesday revealed in his opening statement he'd learned additional information, testifying at the first House impeachment hearing that his staff was told the President's interest in Ukraine was the "investigations of Biden."
Taylor testified that an aide told him of a phone conversation Trump had with US Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland on July 26, one day after Trump's phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Taylor's aide, who was accompanying Sondland to meetings in Kiev with Ukrainian officials, could hear Trump asking Sondland about the investigations, Taylor testified. Sondland "told President Trump that the Ukrainians were ready to move forward," Taylor said.
Taylor testified that his aide later asked Sondland what Trump thought of Ukraine.
"Ambassador Sondland responded that President Trump cares more about the investigations of Biden, which (Trump personal attorney Rudy) Giuliani was pressing for," Taylor said.
House Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff, a California Democrat, asked Taylor if Sondland's statement meant that Trump cared more about the investigations "than he does about Ukraine?"
"Yes, sir," Taylor responded.
