President Donald Trump’s continued attacks against the former National Security Council official he removed are meant to intimidate and punish him, the man’s lawyer said Thursday.
Trump removed Army Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman and Vindman’s twin brother from the NSC on Friday over Vindman’s testimony against Trump in the House impeachment probe. Since then, he’s attacked Vindman on Twitter.
In a Thursday interview with Fox News’ Geraldo Rivera, Trump claimed that “Vindman was the guy that, when we took him out of the building, the building applauded.”
Vindman’s lawyer said that comment and others were meant to punish Vindman and encourage others to break the law.
“The continued public attacks by the President of the United States on an active duty officer in the military are designed to intimidate and to punish,” Vindman’s lawyer David Pressman said in a statement, adding: “By using the power of his office to repeatedly humiliate and punish those following the law, the President is encouraging breaking the law.”
“LTC Vindman complied with a subpoena. The President would have him defy it,” Pressman said. “LTC Vindman told the truth under oath. The President would have him lie.”
