Pence Initially Advised Trump Not To Release Zelensky Call Memo

WASHINGTON, DC - AUGUST 05: U.S. President Donald Trump makes remarks in the Diplomatic Reception Room of the White House as Vice President Mike Pence looks on August 5, 2019 in Washington, DC. President Trump deliv... WASHINGTON, DC - AUGUST 05: U.S. President Donald Trump makes remarks in the Diplomatic Reception Room of the White House as Vice President Mike Pence looks on August 5, 2019 in Washington, DC. President Trump delivered remarks on the mass shootings in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio, over the weekend. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images) MORE LESS
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Vice President Mike Pence initially counseled President Donald Trump not to release the memo of his July call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, fretting about the precedent it would set.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Pence got on board with the memo’s release when Trump made up his mind that the optics of holding it back would be worse than making public details from part of the call.

Though Pence insists that the memo exonerates Trump, it clearly lays out an exchange where Trump reminds Zelensky of the U.S.’ financial aid to Ukraine before asking him to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden’s son, Hunter.

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