PERSON: Alexander Vindman

Vet Voice Foundation

Founder and Director, The Institute for Informed American Leadership

Alexander Semyon Vindman (Ukrainian: Олекса́ндр Семенович Ві́ндман; born June 6, 1975) is a retired United States Army lieutenant colonel who was the Director for European Affairs for the United States National Security Council (NSC) until he was reassigned on February 7, 2020. Vindman is currently director for the think tank the Institute for Informed American Leadership (IIAL).

Vindman came to national attention in October 2019 when he testified before the United States Congress regarding the Trump–Ukraine scandal. His testimony provided evidence that resulted in a charge of abuse of power in the First impeachment of Donald Trump.

Commissioned in 1999 as an infantry officer, Vindman received a Purple Heart medal for wounds he received from an IED attack in the Iraq War in 2004. Vindman became a foreign area officer specializing in Eurasia in 2008, and assumed the position of Director for European Affairs with the NSC in 2018.

In July 2020, Vindman retired after 21 years in the military. He cited vengeful behavior and bullying by President Trump and administration officials after he complied with a subpoena to testify in front of Congress during Trump’s impeachment hearings. At the time of his retirement, Vindman’s promotion to the rank of colonel had been abnormally stalled by the administration. In February 2022, he unsuccessfully sued several Trump allies, alleging that they had intimidated and retaliated against him while he testified in Congress.

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