INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
By Russell Hope, news reporter Donald Trump has justified the sacking of an official who gave evidence against him to impeachment
hearings, calling army Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Vindman "very insubordinate".The decorated soldier, who was working at the National
Security Council, was marched out of the White House on Friday, along with his twin brother Yevgeny Vindman.The US president said on Twitter
that he "never spoke" to Lt Col Vindman, who he said "was very insubordinate" and "reported contents of my perfect calls
incorrectly".Image:Lt Col Vindman said he 'couldn't believe what he was hearing' on the callLt Col Vindman "was given a horrendous report by
his superior", who said the whistleblower had problems with "judgement, adhering to the chain of command and leaking information".Mr Trump
concluded: "In other words, 'OUT'"The phone call in question was between Mr Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in July last
year which the official and others listened in on.Mr Trump allegedly asked his opposite number to investigate whether his Democrat rival Joe
Biden had been involved in corruption in Ukraine.Mr Vindman, the White House's top expert on Ukraine, told the impeachment inquiry that Mr
Trump's demand was improper, stating: "I couldn't believe what I was hearing."The US president was acquitted on Wednesday of both
impeachment charges - abuse of power and obstruction of justice - after a vote in the Senate, controlled by fellow Republicans.Lt Col
Vindman's two-year stint at the White House was due to end in July
According to reports, he will be reassigned to the Defence Department.Also sacked in Mr Trump's post-acquittal purgeof those who, in his
view, betrayed him was Gordon Sondland, the US ambassador to the European Union.:: Listen to Divided States on Apple podcasts, Google
Podcasts, Spotify, and SpreakerThe diplomat, who delivered some of the most damning evidence, is a wealthy Oregon hotelier and was a Trump
political donor before being appointed by the president to his ambassador post.Image:Gordon Sondland said 'everyone was in the loop'He told
the House of Representatives "everyone was in the loop" on Mr Trump's desire to press Ukraine for politically charged investigations.He
explained there was a "quid pro quo" that if Ukraine investigated Mr Biden, President Zelenskiy would get a desired White House meeting.
