Donald Trump praised Republican Senator Rand Paul during a campaign rally in Kentucky on Monday after the lawmaker insisted that the media name the whistleblower in the Ukraine scandal, with the US president calling the proposal “excellent”.
Paul demanded that the media reveal the identity of the anonymous whistleblower who complained about Donald Trump allegedly pressuring Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during their 25 July phone call into investigating potential corruption by former Vice President Joe Biden and his son Hunter, with the complaint resulting in the commencement of an impeachment inquiry against the US president by the Democrat-controlled House of Representatives.
While the whistleblower remains a subject to federal protection and his attorneys have been negotiating with Congress on holding a possible testimony that would still protect his identity, as reported by The Hill, Paul has insisted that the identity of the individual is known to the media, as he had allegedly worked for former Vice President Joe Biden - something which the senator claims undermines the person’s credibility and impartiality.
“We also now know the name of the whistleblower. The whistleblower needs to come forward as a material witness because he worked for Joe Biden at the same time Hunter Biden was getting money from corrupt oligarchs”, Paul said during the rally when invited onto the stage by Trump.
“I say tonight to the media, do your job and print his name”, Paul said to the crowd.
Earlier on Monday, Trump himself called upon the whistleblower to testify in front of the public, saying that written answers to the impeachment inquiry proceedings would not be accepted.
The Whistleblower gave false information & dealt with corrupt politician Schiff. He must be brought forward to testify. Written answers not acceptable! Where is the 2nd Whistleblower? He disappeared after I released the transcript. Does he even exist? Where is the informant? Con!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 4, 2019
He previously also urged the individual to “come forward” as he had “got it so wrong” in relation to the Ukraine complaint, branding him “an arm of the Democrat Party”.
The Whistleblower got it sooo wrong that HE must come forward. The Fake News Media knows who he is but, being an arm of the Democrat Party, don’t want to reveal him because there would be hell to pay.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 3, 2019
Reveal the Whistleblower and end the Impeachment Hoax!
The US president insisted that the "many people" who listened to his July phone call with the Ukrainian president did not have any complaints about it because it was "totally appropriate", boasting that the Republicans have “never been more unified” than they are amid the impeachment inquiry.
Many people listened to my phone call with the Ukrainian President while it was being made. I never heard any complaints. The reason is that it was totally appropriate, I say perfect. Republicans have never been more unified, and my Republican Approval Rating is now 95%!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 3, 2019
The transcript of the 25 July Trump-Zelensky conversation was released following the launch of the impeachment inquiry, with both the American and Ukrainian presidents rejecting that any pressure or inappropriate requests were made during the phone call. Donald Trump insisted that the whistleblower was partial in his complaint and that the inquiry was nothing more than a "hoax" aimed at reversing the result of the 2016 US presidential election.
