Trump also kicked out the twin of impeachment witness Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, apparent retaliation for his brother's testimony
- Lt. Col. Alex Vindman, a witness in President Trump's impeachment trial, was kicked out his National Security Council (NSC) role Friday and escorted from the White House.
- At the same time, his brother Yevgeny was also booted from his NSC job, despite not testifying against Trump.
- Alexander Vindman's lawyer said Yevgeny was fired "suddenly and with no explanation, despite two decades of loyal service to this country."
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The twin brother of impeachment witness Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman was fired from the White House on Friday, in an apparent act of retaliation by President Donald Trump.
Lt. Col. Yevgeny Vindman worked as a senior lawyer and ethics official. He was also part of the National Security Council, where his brother served. Unlike his brother, he did not take part in the impeachment process.
He was escorted off White House grounds "suddenly and with no explanation, despite over two decades of loyal service to this country" Alexander's lawyer David Pressman said in a statement to Insider's Sonam Sheth.
"He is deeply disappointed that he will not be able to continue his service at the White House," Pressman continued.
Yevgeny was fired the same day as his brother, after Trump told reporters he was "not happy" with Alexander after he testified against him in the impeachment hearings.
White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham told Fox News in an interview Trump is working through "just how horribly he was treated and that maybe people should pay for that."
During his congressional testimony in the impeachment hearing, Alexander Vindman detailed his concern at the president's conduct after listening in on a July 25 phone call in which Trump pressured Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for an investigation of political opponent Joe Biden.
"It was inappropriate; it was improper for the president to request - to demand - an investigation into a political opponent, especially a foreign power where there's at best dubious belief that this would be a completely impartial investigation," he said.
PBS Newshour's Yamiche Alcindor reported that Yevgeny is relocating to the US Army's Office of General Counsel, based at the Pentagon. His brother will also go to the Pentagon before attending war college later this year.
- Read more:
- Impeachment witness Alexander Vindman and his twin brother were abruptly fired and escorted from the White House as part of Trump's payback
- 'I'm not happy with him': Impeachment witness Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman was escorted from the White House on Friday
- #marshablackburnistrash is trending on Twitter after Sen. Marsha Blackburn labeled Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman unpatriotic and 'vindictive'