Mike Pompeo had a tantrum on NPR. And then it got really ugly:
Change of subject. Ukraine. Do you owe Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch an apology?
You know, I agreed to come on your show today to talk about Iran. That’s what I intend to do. I know what our Ukraine policy has been now for the three years of this administration. I’m proud of the work we’ve done. This administration delivered the capability for the Ukrainians to defend themselves. President Obama showed up with MREs (meals ready to eat.) We showed up with Javelin missiles. The previous administration did nothing to take down corruption in Ukraine. We’re working hard on that. We’re going to continue to do it.
I confirmed with your staff [crosstalk] last night that I would talk about Iran and Ukraine.
I just don’t have anything else to say about that this morning.
I just want to give you another opportunity to answer this, because as you know, people who work for you in your department, people who have resigned from this department under your leadership, saying you should stand up for the diplomats who work here. [crosstalk]
I don’t know who these unnamed sources are you’re referring to. I can tell you this, when I talked to my team here —
These are not unnamed sources. [crosstalk] This is your senior adviser Michael McKinley, a career foreign service officer with four decades experience, who testified under oath that he resigned in part due to the failure of the State Department to offer support to Foreign Service employees caught up in the impeachment inquiry on Ukraine.
I’m not going to comment on things that Mr. McKinley may have said. I’ll say only this. I have defended every State Department official. We’ve built a great team. The team that works here is doing amazing work around the world.
Sir, respectfully [crosstalk] where have you defended Marie Yovanovitch?
I’ve defended every single person on this team. I’ve done what’s right for every single person on this team. [crosstalk]
Can you point me toward your remarks where you have defended Marie Yovanovitch?
I’ve said all I’m going to say today. Thank you. Thanks for the repeated opportunity to do so. I appreciate that.
One further question on this.
I’m not going to — I appreciate that. I appreciate that you want to continue to talk about this. I agreed to come on your show today to talk about Iran.
And you appreciate [crosstalk] that the American public wants to know as a shadow foreign policy, as a back channel policy on Ukraine was being developed, did you try to block it?
The Ukraine policy has been run from the Department of State for the entire time that I have been here, and our policy was very clear.
Marie Yovanovitch [crosstalk] testified under oath that Ukraine policy was hijacked.
I’ve been clear about that. I know exactly what we were doing. I know precisely what the direction that the State Department gave to our officials around the world about how to manage our Ukraine policy.
[Katie Martin, deputy assistant secretary, bureau of global public affairs at the State Department: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.]
Secretary, thank you. Thank you.
He wasn’t a happy boy, was he? He doesn’t like being asked why he failed to do his job so he could lick Donald Trump’s boots.
And then he went full gangster:
That is the Secretary of State of the United States talking like a cheap thug.
I would say that somebody has to do something about this asshole but who? He’s just following the lead of the monster in the White House and they don’t answer to anyone.
My God.
Listen to the last half where she relates what he said to her: “People will hear about this”
Thugs . All of them.
“she’s going to go through some things …” “take her out!”