Alexander Vindman
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Alexander Semjonovich Vindman (born June 6, 1975) is a retired United States Army lieutenant colonel and national security expert who gained international prominence as a key witness in the first impeachment inquiry of President Donald Trump.
Early Life & Military ServiceImmigration & Background: Vindman was born in the Ukrainian SSR (now Ukraine). Following the death of his mother, his father emigrated to the United States with Alexander, his twin brother Eugene, and his older brother when Alexander was three years old, raising them in New York City.
Army Career: Vindman was commissioned as an infantry officer in the U.S. Army in 1999. He served in the Iraq War, where he was wounded by an improvised explosive device (IED) in 2004 and awarded a Purple Heart. He later served as a foreign area officer specializing in Eurasian affairs.
National Security Council & Trump ImpeachmentUkraine Director: In 2018, Vindman was appointed as the Director for European Affairs on the White House National Security Council (NSC).
July 2019 Call & Testimony: Vindman listened to the July 25, 2019 phone call between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Deeply concerned by Trump's pressure on Ukraine to investigate political rival Joe Biden in exchange for military aid, Vindman reported the call to the NSC's lead counsel.
Impeachment Inquiry: In November 2019, Vindman testified before the U.S. House of Representatives during the impeachment hearings, wearing his dress uniform and stating that he felt it was his duty to report improper presidential conduct.
Post-Military & AdvocacyRetirement: Shortly after Trump's acquittal in February 2020, Vindman was reassigned from the NSC. Citing a campaign of retaliation, bullying, and political pressure from the administration, he retired from the U.S. Army in July 2020 after more than 20 years of service.
Writing & Public Commentary: Vindman published a memoir, Here, Right Matters: An American Story (2021), detailing his family's immigration and his experiences in government. He has since become a prominent television analyst and commentator focusing on international defense, national security, and the war in Ukraine.