Huffpost:
1. Trump publicly intimidated Yovanovitch during the hearing ? and she responded in real time.
As Yovanovitch testified, Trump launched an attack on her reputation in a pair of tweets. Shortly afterward, Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) read the tweets to Yovanovitch and asked her to publicly respond to them.
Trump tweeted that “everywhere Marie Yovanovitch went turned bad,” and denounced her work in both Somalia and Ukraine. Trump also said the president of Ukraine “spoke unfavorably” about her.
Yovanovitch appeared taken aback by the president’s remarks.
“It’s very intimidating,” she told Schiff. “I can’t speak to what the president is trying to do, but the effect is to be intimidating.” <snip>
2. Republicans distanced themselves from Trump after the tweets.
Republicans who have staunchly defended Trump as the impeachment inquiry unfolds couldn’t ignore the threatening tone of his tweets. Some concluded that the attacks on Yovanovitch were unhelpful.
During this week’s hearings, Republicans have steered clear of directly attacking the diplomats they were questioning.
Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.), one of the most vocal Republicans during the hearings, told reporters, “I disagree with the tweet.”
“I think Ambassador Yovanovitch is a public servant like many of our public servants in the foreign service,” she said. <snip>
3. Yovanovitch said Trump could’ve just recalled her without smearing her reputation. Instead, he set a new precedent for corruption.
During her hourslong testimony, Yovanovitch spoke in detail about a concerted effort to destroy her reputation as a U.S. diplomat.
“Individuals ... were able to successfully conduct a campaign of disinformation against a sitting ambassador, using unofficial back channels,” Yovanovitch said, adding that the State Department knew the allegations against her were false.
She noted that Trump could have just appointed another ambassador without attacking her reputation.
“The president has the right to withdraw an ambassador at any time, for any reason, but what I do wonder is why it was necessary to smear my reputation, falsely,” she said. <snip>