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DNI on whistleblower complaint: "I have upheld my responsibility"

Photo: MARCUS TAPPAN/AFP/Getty Images

Acting Director of National Intelligence Joseph Maguire said in a statement Tuesday that he has upheld his responsibility "to follow the law every step of the way" while dealing with the whistleblower complaint unraveling this week.

The big picture: Maguire is due to testify before Congress Thursday on a whistleblower complaint regarding a conversation between Trump that involved an alleged "promise" and Ukraine. Trump has confirmed that he spoke to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenky regarding 2020 candidate Joe Biden and his son Hunter, but the nature of the complaint remains unclear.

  • Maguire's statement comes hours after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) announced that she would launch a formal impeachment inquiry against Trump, largely circulating around national security concerns brought forward by the complaint.

What they're saying:

"As public servants, the men and women of the Intelligence Community have a solemn responsibility to do what is right, which includes reporting wrongdoing. I am committed to protecting whistleblowers and ensuring every complaint is handled appropriately. I look forward to continuing to work with the Administration and Congress to find a resolution regarding this important matter,"
— Maguire statement

Go deeper: Rudy: "I can't tell you if it's 100%" false that Trump threatened Ukraine aid

Go deeper

Hans Nichols, Fadel Allassan
Updated 13 mins ago - Politics & Policy

President Joe Biden vows to be "a president for all Americans"

Moments after taking the oath of office, President Joe Biden sought to sooth a nation riven by political divisions and a global pandemic, while warning that "we have far to go" to heal the country and defeat a "virus that silently stalks the the country."

Why it matters: From the same steps that a pro-Trump mob launched an assault on Congress two weeks earlier, the new president paid deference to the endurance of American political institutions.

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Axios
Updated 32 mins ago - Politics & Policy

Inauguration Day dashboard

U.S. Capitol and stage are lit at sunrise ahead of the inauguration of Joe Biden. Photo: Patrick Semansky - Pool/Getty Images

President Biden has delivered his inaugural address at the Capitol, calling for an end to the politics as total war but warning that "we have far to go" to heal the country.

What's next: Biden and Vice President Harris review readiness of military troops, a long-standing tradition to signify the peaceful transfer of power.

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Orion Rummler
Updated 55 mins ago - Politics & Policy

In photos: The Biden and Harris inauguration

Joe Biden is sworn in as the 46th president of the United States. Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images

Joe Biden and Kamala Harris were inaugurated as president and vice president respectively in a ceremony at the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday morning.

Why it matters: Top Democrats and Republicans gathered for the peaceful transfer of power only two weeks after an unprecedented siege on the building by Trump supporters to disrupt certification of Biden's victory. Trump did not attend Wednesday's ceremony.

Go deeper (<1 min. read)Arrow