President Donald Trump dragged Vice President Mike Pence into his growing impeachment scandal during a rambling press conference at the United Nations.
“And the Democrats did this hoax during the United Nations week. It was perfect, because this way it takes away from the tremendous achievements that we’re taking care of doing, that we’re involved in, in New York City at the United Nations,” Trump argued. “So that was all planned, like everything else. It was all planned.”
“And the witch hunt continues, but they’re getting hit hard on this witch hunt, because when they look at the information, it’s a joke,” Trump claimed. “Impeachment for that? When you have a wonderful meeting or you have a wonderful phone conversation?”
Trump urged an investigation of his own vice president.
“And I think you should ask for VP Pence’s conversation, because he had a couple of conversations also,” Trump suggested.
He then said he would release the transcripts of Pence’s communications.
“But the word is that they’re going to ask for the first phone conversation. You can have it any time you need it. And also Mike Pence’s conversations, which were I think one or two of them,” Trump offered. “They were perfect. They were all perfect.”
“It’s very sad what the Democrats are doing to this country. They’re dividing. They’re belittling, they’re demeaning our country,” Trump argued.
He then told one of his stories that begins with somebody calling him “sir” — which is believed by many analysts to be a tell that what comes next is a lie.
“So many leaders came up to me today and they said, ‘Sir, what you go through, no president has ever gone through. And it’s so bad for your country.’ People laugh at the stupidity of what they’ve asked for,” Trump claimed.
If Trump and Pence were both convicted in a Senate impeachment trial for their roles in the scandal, Speaker Nancy Pelosi would ascend to the presidency.