Dunford on Vindman: ‘A professional, competent, patriotic and loyal officer’

Gen. Joseph Dunford, the retired chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman is “a professional, competent, patriotic and loyal officer,” as Vindman has faced intense scrutiny over his testimony in the House impeachment inquiry into President Trump.

{mosads}Dunford told CNN that he had consistent contact with Vindman, the director for European affairs on the National Security Council, when the Ukraine expert served on the joint staff and Vindman acted as his backup translator for his calls with the chief of the Russian military.

“He is a professional, competent, patriotic and loyal officer. He has made an extraordinary contribution to the security of our nation in both peacetime and combat,” CNN reported Dunford said. 

General Dunford just reminded me he is on active duty technically until midnight on the 31st. And adds LT Col Vindman was HIS back up translator on calls with chief of Russian military

— Barbara Starr (@barbarastarrcnn) October 31, 2019

Trump and GOP lawmakers have targeted Vindman over his Tuesday testimony.

Vindman reported his concerns about the president’s July 25 phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. A whistleblower report detailing the call in which the president asked Zelensky to look into former Vice President Joe Biden prompted Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) to launch an impeachment inquiry.

Vindman testified that he believed Trump blocked military aid to Ukraine in an attempt to force Zelensky to publicly announce an investigation into Biden and his family.

The president and his allies have received pushback from both sides of the aisle for their comments about Vindman and his service.