Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman retires, citing campaign of ‘bullying’ and ‘retaliation’ by Trump after impeachment

WASHINGTON - An Army officer who played a high-profile role in President Donald Trump's impeachment proceedings is retiring from the military over alleged "bullying" and "retaliation" by the president, his lawyer said Wednesday.

Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, who served as a national security aide at the White House until earlier this year and was up for promotion to colonel, will leave the military instead, his lawyer, David Pressman, said in a statement.

"Through a campaign of bullying, intimidation, and retaliation, the president of the United States attempted to force LTC Vindman to choose: Between adhering to the law or pleasing a President. Between honoring his oath or protecting his career. Between protecting his promotion or the promotion of his fellow soldiers," Pressman said. "LTC Vindman's patriotism has cost him his career."

Vindman, who was the National Security Council's Ukraine expert, testified under subpoena last fall about his concerns surrounding a call between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. In that call, Vindman told House investigators, the president linked military aid to Ukrainian moves to open an investigation into former vice president Joe Biden, a Democratic candidate for president. Biden has since become the presumptive nominee.

The Washington Post last month reported that government officials have been concerned in recent weeks that the White House would try to prevent the promotion of Vindman, who along with hundreds of other officers had been selected by the Army to be elevated to become a full colonel.

While the White House had not taken any action to strike Vindman's name, officials have said that Trump strongly disliked Vindman and might have moved to block his advancement.

Vindman was removed from his position at the White House after the impeachment proceedings, in which Trump was acquitted. The president has repeatedly criticized Vindman, who received a Purple Heart for his actions in Iraq.

Vindman's fate has presented a potential dilemma for Defense Secretary Mark Esper, who recently clashed with the president over the possible use of the military in the government response to civil unrest related to racism and police brutality.

The episode generated a crisis for Pentagon leaders who scrambled to distance themselves from the president and the perception that they were allowing the military to be employed against protesters or used for political ends.

Last week, Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., said she would block the promotion of more than 1,000 officers unless Esper ensured that Vindman would not be subjected to retaliation.

If Vindman had not retired, he would either have been promoted or, if not promoted, would have been eligible again for potential promotion in a year.

In a statement, Rep. Eliot Engel, D-N.Y., chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said Trump and his allies would "privately cheer" Vindman's retirement and cited alleged retaliation against the former White House aide.

"That's how the President and his enablers regard public servants - in uniform or otherwise - who uphold their oaths to the constitution, rather than giving into the cult of personal loyalty that has rotted our government from the inside for the last three and a half years," he said.

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The Washington Post’s Tom Hamburger contributed to this report.