Pentagon Flags Vindman for Possible Ukraine Dealings
The Pentagon is urging the House to investigate whether Rep. Eugene Vindman (D-VA) improperly consulted on behalf of the Ukrainian government before entering Congress—a charge Vindman flatly denies, calling it a politically motivated attempt by the Trump administration to “intimidate” him.
In a Nov. 19 letter reviewed by The Washington Post, Pentagon general counsel Earl Matthews alleges that Vindman and his twin brother, Alex, failed to secure the required U.S. government approval before attempting to act as “paid brokers” for American defense contractors seeking work in Ukraine following Russia’s 2022 invasion. The letter stops short of saying the brothers received money from Kyiv, instead arguing they “did not insulate themselves from the requirements of federal law.”
Vindman told The Post that all revenue came from American firms and that he and his brother complied with every regulation.
Both Vindmans, retired Army officers who rose to national prominence during Trump’s first impeachment inquiry in 2019, would have needed permission from the Secretary of State and the Secretary of the Army before providing any services to a foreign government, the Pentagon argues.
“If any U.S. military retiree could simply form a consulting firm and immediately start providing services to a foreign government without the required secretarial approvals, it would make a mockery of the law,” Matthews wrote to the House committees on Ethics, Oversight, and Armed Services.
In an interview, Vindman rejected the allegation as partisan retaliation.
“This is an attempt to intimidate and silence me—and it’s not going to work,” he said.
A Pentagon spokesperson confirmed that the department is “aware of a potential violation of the Emoluments Clause and applicable federal regulations” involving Vindman before he took office, adding that the matter has been referred to the House Ethics Committee. The Constitution’s emoluments clause restricts U.S. officials from receiving payments or gifts from foreign governments.
Vindman said he doesn’t know whether the committees will launch an investigation and insists he’s unconcerned.
“We knew we’d be under a microscope,” he said. “Everything we did was with strict compliance in mind.”
The letter arrives amid escalating conflict between the Trump administration and its critics in Congress. Earlier this week, Trump accused several Democratic lawmakers of “sedition” for urging service members to reject unlawful orders, later escalating online to say such actions were “punishable by DEATH!” The White House insisted he was not calling for violence.
Since returning to office, Trump has pressed federal agencies to investigate political opponents, including former FBI Director James Comey and Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA). Democrats argue that these actions weaponize the federal government and threaten long-standing norms.
Vindman recently led dozens of Democrats in pushing the White House to release the transcript of a 2019 call between Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman—a call he claims would be “shocking.” The conversation occurred shortly after the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. While hosting the crown prince this week, Trump publicly repeated that Mohammed “knew nothing” about the killing, contradicting U.S. intelligence assessments.
At a Friday press conference alongside Vindman, Khashoggi’s widow, Hanan Elatr Khashoggi, called Trump’s comments “disturbing” and urged the White House to release the transcript.
Vindman, who serves on the House Armed Services Committee and has called for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to resign, said he has “nothing to hide.” Matthews told lawmakers that to avoid any appearance of conflict, the Pentagon would wait for Congress to decide whether an inquiry is appropriate—though if the Republican-led committees recommend it, the Pentagon could open its own investigation.
“I don’t know whether there’s going to be an investigation or not,” Vindman said, “but I’m in a position where I have nothing to hide.”
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