Read: State Department official David Holmes' impeachment inquiry testimony

David Holmes, a career diplomat, leaves Capitol Hill on Nov. 15 after a deposition before congressional lawmakers as part of the House impeachment inquiry into President Trump.
David Holmes, a career diplomat, leaves Capitol Hill on Friday after a deposition before congressional lawmakers as part of the House impeachment inquiry into President Trump.
Jose Luis Magana | AP

On Monday evening, House committees released the transcript of a State Department official who testified in the impeachment inquiry Nov. 15 that he overheard the president tell the U.S. envoy to the EU that he was seeking political investigations from Ukraine's president.

The official, David Holmes, said he overheard the July 26 call between Trump and Gordon Sondland, the the U.S. ambassador to the European Union, in which the president asked Sondland "about the investigations," and Sondland replying that Ukrainians "were ready to move forward."

That apparent exchange is at the heart of the Democratic-led inquiry into Trump: Did the president seek an investigation from Ukraine into the Bidens in exchange for military aid and a White House visit for Ukraine's president. Trump denies any such link was made, calling his July 25 call with Ukraine's leader "perfect."

Read the transcript of Holmes' closed-door session here:

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