‘US Prez forced Ukraine probe against Biden’s son’

Washington, September 21 

US President Donald Trump on Friday vigorously rejected a whistleblower’s claim of wrongdoing, amid reports he used a call with Ukraine’s president to pressure him to investigate the son of Trump’s Democratic rival Joe Biden who works with a Ukrainian natural gas agency. 

The whistleblower’s secret complaint has triggered a tense showdown between Congress, whose Democratic leaders are demanding to review the complaint, and the executive branch which has barred them from doing so. It has also raised concerns Trump sought to strong-arm Ukraine into providing damaging information on the president’s possible 2020 challenger, which would represent dangerous foreign meddling in the US election — similar to the interference blamed on Russia in 2016, when Trump defeated Hillary Clinton. 

The Washington Post, citing two unnamed former US officials, said the complaint stemmed from Trump’s communications with Ukraine, and a “promise” allegedly made by the president. Trump slammed the “ridiculous” story. 

Biden responded forcefully, demanding Trump immediately release the transcript of the call and saying the reports Trump sought to coerce his Ukrainian counterpart, if true, amounted to “clear-cut corruption.” — AFP