The U.S. Army's top officials said today that there is no investigation into the conduct of the lieutenant colonel who recently testified at an impeachment hearing against President Trump.
Trump suggested that Pentagon may review Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman's conduct earlier this week. The Army officer was dismissed from his job on the National Security Council on Friday, two days after the Senate acquitted Trump on abuse of power and obstruction of justice charges.
Vindman testified before a House impeachment panel that Trump inappropriately pushed Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden and his son Hunter.
Trump said the Pentagon "can handle him any way they want" but also said that commanders may want to probe Vindman's conduct.
"They are certainly, I imagine, going to take a look at that," Trump said.
Related: Trump Wants Pentagon to Review Army Lt. Col. Vindman's Conduct
Secretary of the Army Ryan McCarthy, speaking at a National Press Club event, was asked if the Army planned to investigate Vindman.
Vindman was scheduled to come back to the Army in the "May-June timeframe" after being detailed to the National Security Council, McCarthy said.
"So, we brought him back; he's got a basically a bridging assignment for a couple of months with an [Army headquarters] assignment," McCarthy said.
"And then will be heading onto a senior service college this summer. And there [are] no investigations."
Defense Secretary Mark Esper said recently that the U.S. military will "protect all of our service members from retribution or anything like that."
Vindman's twin brother, Lt. Col. Yevgeny Vindman, who worked as an ethics lawyer at the NSC, was also removed from his job and reassigned to the Army's Office of the General Counsel.
Robert O'Brien, Trump's national security adviser, said Tuesday that the Vindmans were not asked to leave the White House in retaliation for testimony in the Democrats' impeachment case.
-- Matthew Cox can be reached at matthew.cox@military.com.
Read More: Pentagon Chief Says Vindman Should Not Fear Army Retaliation
