Pompeo confirms he was on Trump-Zelenskiy call

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(SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE, MIKE POMPEO, SAYING:

"As for was I on the phone call? I was on the phone call."

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo confirmed on Wednesday that he was on the July 25th phone call between President Donald Trump and the president of Ukraine - the basis of a whistleblower’s complaint and the catalyst for the impeachment probe launched by House Democrats last week.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE, MIKE POMPEO, SAYING:

"I know precisely what the American policy is with respect to Ukraine and it's been remarkably consistent. We will continue to try to drive those set of outcomes, it's what our team, including Ambassador Volker was focused on was taking down the threat that Russia poses there in Ukraine, it was about helping the Ukrainians to get graft out and corruption outside of their government... and it's what we'll continue to do, even while all this noise is going on."

House Democrats are looking into Trump's request to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy during that controversial phone call to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden, a leading contender in the Democratic race to run against Trump in the 2020 election.

Pompeo, who is in Italy for a four-nation tour through Europe, called the subpoenas to depose current and former State Department officials "an attempt to intimidate, bully, & treat improperly the distinguished professionals of the Department of State..."

Kurt Volker, who resigned last week as Trump’s special representative for Ukraine, is set to go to Capitol Hill to give a deposition to House committees on Thursday.

The unidentified whistleblower is said to be an intelligence agent who accused Trump of soliciting foreign interference for his personal political benefit.

Trump has denied wrongdoing and assailed the probe.