SCIUTTO: This morning, Senate Majority leader Chuck Schumer says that he wants the Defense Department's acting Inspector General to investigate witness retaliation by the president. This of course follows Trump's firing of two key impeachment witnesses, Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Vindman and Trump appointee and Trump donor, EU Ambassador Gordon Sondland, they both testified under oath, we should note.</s>HARLOW: That's right, CNN has learned this morning that both Lieutenant Colonel Vindman and Gordon Sondland were quietly planning to exit on their own before their abrupt firings by the president. You know, the president was advised by a number of Republicans in the Senate to let it be and let them leave on their own, but this president apparently didn't want them to go quietly. Joining us to discuss, John Harwood; our White House correspondent, J.W. Verret; he worked on the Trump transition team, and his associate professor of law at George Mason University. Good morning to you, both, John, let me just begin with you. So, apparently, with Susan Collins, Thom Tillis, Ron Johnson who said to the -- somehow to the president or his people like just let them go, don't make a thing of this. But the president wanted it to be a thing. Why?</s>JOHN HARWOOD, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, this is a president who thinks in terms that are transactional. If you help me, I'm going to do something good for you, say something good about you. If you hurt me, I'm coming after you. Kellyanne Conway; the president's adviser was in the briefing room a few minutes ago, and he said -- she said, you know, winning finishes a lot of sentences. Well, the president won the acquittal vote, and now he's acting of the two firings, I should say, the Gordon Sondland one seems much more understandable to me. He was a political appointee who essentially bought the ambassadorship with a million dollar donation. END
Schumer Calls for Investigation into Witness Retaliation After Trump Fired Two Former Trump Appointees Who Testified During Impeachment