Merriam-Webster defines ‘transcript’ and ‘memorandum’ after White House releases Ukraine call

Merriam-Webster defined the words “transcript” and “memorandum” on Twitter following the White House’s release of President Trump’s call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. 

{mosads}The White House on Wednesday released a document titled “memorandum of telephone conversation” that noted it was not a verbatim transcript. 

Merriam-Webster took to Twitter to clear up the difference between the two words, noting a transcript is “a typed copy of dictated or recorded material” and a memorandum is “an informal report or message.”

‘Transcript’: a typed copy of dictated or recorded material

‘Memorandum’: an informal report or message

— Merriam-Webster (@MerriamWebster) September 25, 2019

Although the released memorandum is not verbatim, it reveals that Trump told Zelensky he hoped the Ukrainian president “can look into” former Vice President Joe Biden’s participation in the firing of a Ukrainian prosecutor. 

The president also suggested Zelensky could work with his personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani and Attorney General William Barr, whom Trump said he would have give a call to Zelensky.

The call is reportedly the subject of a whistleblower report the House Intelligence Committee has subpoenaed and the Trump administration has thus far declined to disclose publicly. 

Democratic lawmakers have been demanding the transcript and report since The Washington Post reported it involved the president’s conversation with Zelensky regarding Biden’s son.

The controversy has consumed Washington as numerous Democrats called for impeachment proceedings to begin against the president.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) on Tuesday formally launched an impeachment inquiry she had previously rejected.