US President Donald Trump said that he wants to meet the anonymous whistleblower of the Ukraine controversy following the House Democrats' launch of an impeachment inquiry against him.
In a tweet on Sunday, Trump claimed that he deserves to meet the whistleblower as his accuser. He argued: "Like every American, I deserve to meet my accuser, especially when this accuser, the so-called 'Whistleblower,' represented a perfect conversation with a foreign leader in a totally inaccurate and fraudulent way. His lies were made in perhaps the most blatant and sinister manner ever seen in the great Chamber. He wrote down and read terrible things, then said it was from the mouth of the President of the United States. I want Schiff questioned at the highest level for Fraud & Treason."
Acting Director of National Intelligence Joseph Maguire received a letter from lawyers for the whistleblower expressing safety concerns for their client as Trump continues to take aim at the person. It stated: "The purpose of this letter is to formally notify you of serious concerns we have regarding our client's personal safety. The events of the past week have heightened our concerns that our client's identity will be disclosed publicly and that, as a result, our client will be put in harm's way."
Trump has previously attacked the whistleblower, pledging "Big Consequences" for anyone who assisted in providing the person information. He tweeted: "I want to meet not only my accuser, who presented SECOND & THIRD HAND INFORMATION, but also the person who illegally gave this information, which was largely incorrect, to the 'Whistleblower'. Was this person SPYING on the U.S. President? Big Consequences!"
Three House chairmen, including House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, called on the US President to stop attacking the whistleblower. They said: "The President's comments today constitute reprehensible witness intimidation and an attempt to obstruct Congress' impeachment inquiry. We condemn the President's attacks, and we invite our Republican counterparts to do the same because Congress must do all it can to protect this whistleblower, and all whistleblowers."
