“This is the final word from the president of the United States. I want nothing,” President Trump told reporters on the South Lawn of the White House Wednesday, after making sure their cameras were rolling.
After leaving the White House 45 minutes after he was scheduled to, no doubt glued to his TV, Trump staged a re-enactment of his conversation with Ambassador Sondland that was obviously meant to re-write history in that Trumpian reality TV way.
Trump re-enacted his conversation with Sondland in “dramatic fashion, recounting Sondland’s testimony beat by beat,” and asked reporters if they had had the cameras rolling before he denied that there was a quid pro quo, according to multiple White House pool reports by Andre Restuccia sent to PoliticusUSA.
“At one point, Trump paused before recounting that Sondland testified he denied there was a quid pro quo and wanted nothing from Ukraine.
‘Ready, do you have the cameras rolling?’ he asked,” the pool report read.
Trump read from hand-written notes and didn’t take any questions.
U.S. President Donald Trump holds what appears to be a prepared statement and handwritten notes after watching testimony by U.S. Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland as he speaks to reporters prior to departing for travel to Austin, Texas from the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, U.S., November 20, 2019. REUTERS/Erin Scott
U.S. President Donald Trump holds what appears to be a prepared statement and handwritten notes after watching testimony by U.S. Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland as he speaks to reporters while departing for travel to Austin, Texas from the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, U.S., November 20, 2019. REUTERS/Erin Scott
The Trump Show began with claiming he turned off the television after claiming Sondland screamed at him “What do you want from Ukraine?”
“And I just noticed one thing, and I would say that means it’s all over. ‘What do want from Ukraine?’ he asks me, screaming. ‘What do you want from Ukraine? I keep hearing all these different ideas and theories.’ This is Ambassador Sondland speaking to me. Just happened. To which I turned off the television.”
“And now, here’s my response that he gave — just gave. Ready? You have the cameras rolling? ‘I want nothing.’ ‘That’s what I want from Ukraine.’ That’s what I said. ‘I want nothing.’ I said it twice.”
So the man who has lied to us 13,435 times as of October 14, 2019 per the Washington Post, expects the public to believe his re-enactment over the testimony of multiple witnesses and his own transcripts.
Trump recounted Sondland’s testimony that Trump told him there was no quid pro quo and he wanted nothing from Ukraine, leaving out the parts where Sondland said there was quid pro quo and that he had been directed by President Trump to work with Trump’s lawyer Rudy Giuliani, who was strong-arming Ukraine.
“That means it’s all over,” Trump announced with the arrogance of a man used to getting his way, and perhaps in denial that in fact it is far from over.
In perfect Trumpian image-obsessed fashion, he made a point to dispute Sondland’s testimony that Trump was in a bad mood during their conversation.
Trump, who is infamous for his mercurial moods that have prompted a “Trump baby blimp” to be flown over various events at which he appears, said, “I’m always in a good mood. I don’t know what that is.”
Sarah has been credentialed to cover President Barack Obama, then VP Joe Biden, 2016 Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, and exclusively interviewed Speaker Nancy Pelosi multiple times and exclusively covered her first home appearance after the first impeachment of then President Donald Trump.
Sarah is two-time Telly award winning video producer and a member of the Society of Professional Journalists.
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