At a joint news conference with Finland's president, a frustrated Trump blasted reporters who asked about the probe, which he called a hoax and a fraud, but said he would cooperate with the inquiry.
Trump repeatedly refused to answer a question from a Reuters reporter about what he wanted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to do when Trump brought up the business ties to Ukraine of Hunter Biden, son of Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden.
According to a summary of the July call released by the White House, Trump asked Zelenskiy to investigate Biden and his son Hunter in coordination with US Attorney General William Barr and Giuliani. Hunter Biden had sat on the board of a Ukrainian gas company that had been under investigation by Kiev.
Trump made his request to Zelenskiy shortly after he had frozen nearly $400 million in aid to Ukraine. Zelenskiy agreed to the request on the call, and the aid was later provided. Democrats have accused Trump of pressuring a vulnerable US ally to meddle in the 2020 election for his own political benefit.
The impeachment probe could lead to approval of articles of impeachment - or formal charges - against Trump in the House. A trial on whether to remove Trump from office would then be held in the Republican-controlled Senate. Republicans, however, have shown little appetite for ousting him.
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