President Donald Trump's personal attorney, Rudy Giuliani, conducted a campaign of false accusations against a respected American ambassador that contributed to her removal from Ukraine, according to congressional testimony released Thursday.
George Kent, a senior State Department official responsible for Ukraine policy, told House impeachment investigators that Giuliani worked with controversial Ukrainian figures to discredit Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch, a career diplomat known for her anti-corruption efforts.
Kent described Giuliani's accusations as a campaign of lies, raising serious questions about the influence of the president's personal attorney over American foreign policy.
A Campaign to Remove an Ambassador
Yovanovitch, who became ambassador to Ukraine in 2016, had earned a reputation for supporting anti-corruption reforms and challenging powerful Ukrainian interests.
Those efforts also created enemies.
According to Kent, former Ukrainian Prosecutor General Yuriy Lutsenko supplied damaging allegations about Yovanovitch to Giuliani, hoping they would reach influential figures in Washington.
Kent testified that Lutsenko appeared motivated by revenge against American diplomats who had criticized corruption within Ukraine's prosecutorial system.
Giuliani subsequently repeated accusations questioning Yovanovitch's loyalty to Trump and suggesting that she was working against the president.
Kent rejected those allegations.
He told investigators that Giuliani's claims were unfounded and untrue.
False Allegations Spread Through Washington
The campaign intensified during the early months of 2019.
Giuliani used television appearances and social media to criticize Yovanovitch, while Ukrainian figures promoted allegations about her conduct.
One widely circulated accusation suggested that the ambassador had given Ukrainian prosecutors a list of individuals they should not investigate.
The allegation lacked substantiation, and Lutsenko subsequently acknowledged that no such list had been provided.
Kent described the attacks as a disinformation effort that threatened American diplomatic interests.
The controversy became particularly troubling because the accusations were being promoted by the president's own attorney rather than through established diplomatic channels.
Ambassador Recalled From Ukraine
Yovanovitch was recalled to Washington in May, several months before her assignment was scheduled to end.
Her removal came as Ukraine was preparing to work with newly elected President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Kent expressed concern that the United States had removed an experienced ambassador based on allegations from individuals with questionable motives.
He also described an extraordinary suggestion from Gordon Sondland, the American ambassador to the European Union.
According to Kent, Sondland encouraged Yovanovitch to publicly express support for Trump's foreign policy, potentially helping her preserve her position.
The suggestion raised questions about whether professional diplomatic service was becoming dependent on personal demonstrations of loyalty to the president.
State Department Officials Sound the Alarm
Kent said he raised concerns about Giuliani's activities and the damage being done to American interests.
Rather than receiving clear institutional support, he was advised by a senior State Department official to maintain a lower profile on Ukraine matters.
His testimony describes career diplomats struggling to defend established foreign policy objectives while politically connected outsiders gained influence.
The dispute also highlights the vulnerability of American diplomats when accusations against them circulate without credible supporting evidence.
Impeachment Inquiry Examines Giuliani's Role
Kent's testimony is part of the House impeachment investigation into Trump's dealings with Ukraine.
Investigators are examining whether the president and his associates improperly used American diplomatic relationships to pursue political objectives.
Trump denies wrongdoing, while Giuliani has defended his efforts to investigate alleged misconduct involving Ukraine.
Kent is scheduled to testify publicly next week.
His account presents Congress with a troubling question: Why was an American ambassador removed after a campaign of allegations that a senior State Department official says were false?
The answer may prove important in determining how political interests influenced American diplomacy under the Trump administration.