Trump Abruptly Dismisses Intelligence Official Who Pushed Impeachment to the Brink

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] U.S. President Donald Trump has abruptly dismissed Michael Atkinson, the intelligence community inspector general who first reported to Congress about the 'Ukraine scandal' that led to his impeachment last year. This dismissal is seen as an extension of the 'bloody purge' against opponents that continued after the post-impeachment phase in early February.

According to U.S. media on the 3rd (local time), President Trump sent a letter to the Senate Intelligence Committee announcing his decision to fire Inspector General Atkinson. In the letter, Trump stated that it is important to trust the intelligence community inspectors general he appointed, but he can no longer trust Atkinson.

Inspector General Atkinson appeared at a closed-door House Intelligence Committee meeting in September last year and testified about the whistleblower complaint received by the Office of the Intelligence Community Inspector General (ICIG) related to the 'Ukraine scandal,' providing the basis for the Democrats' impeachment push.

The Democratic Party called this incident a "Friday night dismissal" and fiercely criticized the White House for attempting to politicize the intelligence community, which has historically been regarded as bipartisan, amid the COVID-19 crisis.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat, condemned the move, saying, "The shameful midnight dismissal of Inspector General Atkinson is a brazen act against a patriotic public servant who has faithfully carried out their duty to uphold the Constitution and national security as required by law and oath." She added, "Retaliation against intelligence officials will send a chilling message to all who seek to speak the truth to power."

Adam Schiff, a Democrat and chairman of the House Intelligence Committee who led the impeachment effort alongside Pelosi, strongly criticized the president's decision made in the dead of night while the nation is navigating a national emergency, saying it puts the country and national security at greater risk.

Senator Elizabeth Warren, who entered the presidential race but later dropped out, said, "President Trump has exploited the pandemic as a 'smokescreen' to carry out political revenge against the intelligence community inspector general who exposed his illegal acts." She called Atkinson's dismissal a corrupt act in itself and a move that threatens national security amid an international crisis.

Earlier, immediately after the Senate rejected the impeachment on February 5, President Trump began a 'post-impeachment' purge targeting those who testified unfavorably against him during the House impeachment investigation and hearings, starting with the removal of Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Vindman and his twin brother Yevgeny, as well as Gordon Sondland, the U.S. Ambassador to the European Union. At the same time, he appointed loyalists to key positions.

During this process, John Rood, the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, who had testified unfavorably against the Trump administration in Congress regarding the 'Ukraine scandal' and became a target, resigned after revealing pressure from President Trump to step down.

On the 6th of last month, Trump capped off the reshuffle by nominating Mick Mulvaney, the former acting White House Chief of Staff who had been the subject of constant replacement rumors, as special envoy to Northern Ireland, and abruptly appointing Mark Meadows, a loyal Republican congressman who served as a 'shield' during the impeachment phase, as the new Chief of Staff.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.