Updated Nov 13, 2019

Read Bill Taylor's opening statement in the impeachment hearing

Axios

Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Acting U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Bill Taylor is testifying in the House impeachment inquiry's first public hearing.

Driving the news: Taylor's opening statement included a new revelation that he said he learned from a staffer last Friday. The staffer overheard EU Ambassador Gordon Sondland discussing "investigations" in a phone call with Trump on July 26. When he asked Sondland what Trump thought of Ukraine, "Ambassador Sondland responded that President Trump cares more about the investigations of Biden, which Giuliani was pressing for," Taylor said.

Read the statement

Go deeper:

Go deeper

Zachary Basu

Trump impeachment hearing: Highlights from Bill Taylor's and George Kent's testimonies

George Kent (L) and Bill Taylor. Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Bill Taylor, the top U.S. diplomat in Ukraine, and Deputy Assistant Secretary of State George Kent testified Wednesday in the House's first public impeachment hearing.

Driving the news: In a new revelation, Taylor testified that a member of his staff overheard EU Ambassador Gordon Sondland on July 26 discussing "the investigations" on a phone call with Trump. When the staffer asked Sondland what Trump thought of Ukraine, "Ambassador Sondland responded that President Trump cares more about the investigations of Biden, which Giuliani was pressing for," Taylor said.

Go deeperArrowUpdated Nov 13, 2019
Axios

Bill Taylor testifies that staffer overheard Trump discuss "the investigations" with Sondland

Bill Taylor, the top U.S. diplomat in Ukraine, told the House Intelligence Committee during its public impeachment hearing on Wednesday that a staffer overheard President Trump discuss "the investigations" in Ukraine with EU Ambassador Gordon Sondland the day after Trump's July 25 call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Why it matters: This is a new piece of information from Taylor, who said that he was not aware of that information at the time of his closed-door deposition in October.

Go deeperArrowNov 13, 2019
Zachary Basu

Trump denies discussing Ukraine investigations with Sondland in July phone call

During a press conference with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday, President Trump said he knows nothing about an alleged July 26 phone call with EU Ambassador Gordon Sondland in which he is reported to have asked about the status of Ukrainian investigations he sought into the Bidens and the 2016 election.

Go deeperArrowNov 13, 2019