Trump Blames Loyalist Rick Perry in Shifting Explanation of Ukraine Call
- President told lawmakers that secretary had him call Zelenskiy
- Perry preparing for exit but was staunch Trump cabinet ally
Donald Trump and Rick Perry.
Photographer: Sarah Silbiger/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
Years of loyalty to Donald Trump are no guarantee he’ll return the favor. Just ask Rick Perry.
As an impeachment probe grows, Trump has offered a range of explanations for his July conversation with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, which spawned a whistle-blower complaint. The latest is that he only made the call at the behest of his energy secretary, one of Trump’s original cabinet stalwarts who is now said to be planning his departure.