Vindman Blames Trump For 600,000 COVID-19 Deaths In US KEY POINTS He also blasted Trump for using his presidency to spread false information The former lieutenant was a witness in Trump's impeachment inquiry over a phone call with the Ukrainian president Retired Army Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman has blamed former President Donald Trump for hundreds of thousands of coronavirus-related deaths in the United States. Vindman made waves in 2019 when he served as a key witness in Trump’s impeachment hearings. Appearing on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” on Tuesday, he said Trump should have been removed from the White House to prevent the deaths of over 600,000 Americans due to the COVID-19 pandemic.