Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, a Democrat from New Hampshire, is calling on President Donald Trump’s interpreter from his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin to testify before Congress.
“I’m calling for a hearing with the U.S. interpreter who was present during President Trump’s meeting with Putin to uncover what they discussed privately. This interpreter can help determine what @POTUS shared/promised Putin on our behalf,” Shaheen tweeted Tuesday.
She isn’t the only Democratic lawmaker calling for questioning the translator.
In an interview with CNN’s John Berman on “New Day” Tuesday morning, Rep. Joe Kennedy of Massachusetts said Congress should take action to subpoena the translator to testify if the White House did not release what happened in the meeting.
“So what I’m asking is just that the White House tell the American public what was said, and if they won’t do it, then the translator who was the only other American official in the room, that they come before Congress and explain what happened,” Kennedy said. “And if they refused too, then Congress should subpoena.”
The statements come after lawmakers on both sides of the aisle rushed to admonish Trump for his comments at the summit Monday and as many lawmakers are hoping to get more answers about what was discussed behind closed doors.
It is unclear if Republicans, who control the witness list for committees on Capitol Hill, would ask the interpreter to testify.
The meeting between Trump and Putin was one-on-one and did not include staff other than the interpreters.