House to launch Trump impeachment inquiry over Ukraine controversy: report

The U.S. House of Representatives will launch an inquiry to investigate whether to impeach U.S. President Donald Trump forseeking foreign help to smear a political rival, a senior Democratic lawmaker said on Tuesday.

Richard Neal, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, made the comment to reporters after meeting with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Neal did not offer details on how the formal inquiry involving the possible impeachment of the Republican president would be pursued.

Meanwhile, Trump promised to release a transcript of his phone call with Ukraine’s president at the center of the controversy.

Pelosi, who for months had been reluctant to embrace an impeachment effort to try to remove Trump from office, is scheduled to make a public statement at 5 p.m. ET (2100 GMT). Pelosi’s fellow Democrats control the House.