A former top adviser to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told House impeachment investigators on Wednesday that he abruptly resigned last week because of President Donald Trump's attacks on the ousted U.S. ambassador to Ukraine and the State Department's unwillingness to protect career diplomats from politically motivated pressure, according to people familiar with the testimony.
Michael McKinley, a career foreign service officer with nearly 40 years of experience, had a front-row seat to Pompeo's decision-making at the State Department. And like other current and former officials who have testified for the House's impeachment inquiry, McKinley told investigators he was deeply alarmed by efforts by Trump and his allies to pressure Ukraine to investigate the president's political rivals.
According to a former colleague familiar with his testimony, McKinley attributed his resignation to "what appears to be the utilization of our ambassadors overseas to advance domestic political objectives."
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