Lt. Colonel Alexander Vindman, the Army officer who testified against President Donald Trump during House impeachment hearings last November, has decided to retire due to continued bullying, intimidation and retaliation from President Donald Trump and his cronies.

The Pentagon has repeatedly claimed that Vindman was not being retaliated against even after Trump fired him from his position on the National Security Council earlier this year.

Vindman, an expert on Ukraine, provided damning testimony on Trump’s attempt to extort Ukraine into opening a sham investigation against his political rival former Vice President Joe Biden.

Ultimately, Senate Republicans rigged the trial in Trump’s favor and acquitted him, thus giving Trump the green light to retaliate against those who did the right thing by stepping forward to report misconduct.

Vindman had been sent back to the Pentagon, but his promotion to full colonel hit a snag because Trump and his loyalists are blocking it and were musing about handing him an intolerable assignment.

According to CNN:

Specifically, Vindman was told by senior Army officials that he would no longer be deployable in his area of expertise, which includes Ukraine, the source familiar with the situation told CNN.

He was also told by senior officers he would need a “rehabilitative assignment” even if he had opted to attend the National War College, an option he had been considering before Wednesday’s announcement, the source added.

In one case, a senior officer quipped about sending him to “man a radar station in Alaska,” the source said.

Vindman’s attorney released a statement blaming Trump for forcing his client to give up a stellar and honorable career.

“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,” David Pressman said in a statement. “These are choices that no one in the United States should confront, especially one who has dedicated his life to serving it. [Vindman] did what the law compelled him to do; and for that he was bullied by the President and his proxies.”

This is a sad day for our military and our country. Vindman is a good man who did not deserve to be treated this way. He’s a hero for standing up to Trump in defense of the Constitution and the rule of law. Anyone in or out of uniform should be outraged. And Biden should bring Vindman back immediately should he win the presidency in November.

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