even as the threat of a north korea missile test looms during this visit. all this is a balancing act as russia s war in ukraine hangs over the white house. today in another public show of support, the president met with leaders of finland and sweden as they pushed to join nato, a historic step as more countries unite against russia and condemn its invasion. the big question here is can turkey get on board? we are following all the headlines out of ukraine and the state of play there. first, let s start at the white house and we are joined now. arlette, tell us more about the president s message and his mind set as he s embarking on this. he s flying to asia for his first trip to the region as president. officials said he had hoped to get there earlier in his presidency, but was constrained due to covid-19 and other crises such as the war in ukraine. but the president will be traveling to both south korea and japan to meet with the leaders of each of the countries as well a
Was the white house visit in return for the 2016 dnc server and burisma investigation. When you heard burisma, you did not see that as code for biden, the bidens . I did not. When did you even know that . Is it your testimony that you only realized that burisma included the bidens when the readout came out . No, i really dont recall the date. It was very late in the game, though. September . I dont recall the date. So if i told you that the Legal Definition of bribery was an event of offering, giving, soliciting or receiving of any item of value as a means of influencing an action of an individual holding a public or legal duty, do you believe that not only was it quid pro quo, but it was bribery . Im not a lawyer and im not going to characterize what
something was or wasnt legally. You also said in your Opening Statement that Secretary Perry and yourself as well as Ambassador Volker worked with giuliani on the ukraine matter at Express Direction of the president , is that right . That
Base of the Republican Party and to me. So i believe that he was at with very few defections. That may change, but right now i least affected by those and believed those and believed they were think thats a correct negative . Assessment by the white house, believed that they were that theyve got the senate tied negative and was conveying them up in a way that will protect to the president. So was it problematic that he the president from actually being removed from office. Believed they were negative i think the two variables, views . Yes, the whole thing was ned, would, in my guess, drawing problematic. Ambassador taylor testified on my past sort of in republican that on july 2nd, you told politics, would be public ukrainians that they needed to, quote, cooperate on opinion, should you see attacks investigations, end quote. Youre now saying that you dont on colonel vindman inching this recall saying those words; is from 51 support to 53, 54, 55. That correct . I dont believe i said th
Among those questions, what it could mean for 2020. Could some in the president s party be rethinking whether they want to stick with mr. Trump amid the impeachment fight. Well break down all the im kagss of last nights elections results. A significant new twist in the Impeachment Inquiry. Eu Ambassador Gordon Sondland changing his story now, backing up the testimony of several other key witnesses regarding aid to ukraine and the commitment to investigate the 2016 election and the bidens. But why was he allowed to change his testimony . Were going to dig into that in just a moment. Lets go right to the implications of tuesdays elections. For that i want to bring in msnbc National Political correspondent Steve Kornacki. Hes at the big board. Nbc news road war i dont Vaughn Hillyard joins us from louisville, kentucky. Vaughn, its a state that President Trump won by about 30 points in 2016. Here we are just three years later. Looks like there will be a Deck Kr Democrat in the governors me
President , correct . Its appropriate for the Justice Department and the Prosecutor General to cooperate and to exchange information, yes. But to the extent that the president has concerns and to the extent that the Attorney General is having u. S. Attorney durham look into it, isnt it entirely appropriate for the president to flag this for president zelensky and say that you should be in touch with our official channels . Mr. Castor, i dont know the precise appropriateness of these kind of relations. Now, were you involved, either of you involved with the preparation for the 7 25 call . I was not. I was not. And how do you account for that . I mean, you were the two of the key officials with responsibility for ukrainian policy. If the president of the United States is going to have a call with the leader of the ukraine, why wouldnt
you ordinarily be involved with preparation . Sir, we work for the Department Of State in an embassy overseas and in preparation for a president ial phone