Doing the right thing isn’t always easy, but Alexander Vindman said the strong moral convictions on which he’s lived his entire life wouldn’t have allowed him to have doneotherwise.
The retired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel has no regrets about the damningcongressional testimony he gave in 2019 as part of the impeachment trial against former President Donald Trump. A career officer who served America with great distinction, Vindman was working with the National Security Council when he testified that Trump tried topressure Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyduring a 2019 phone callto investigate the family offormerVice President Joe Biden, who was running for president.
Vindman, who had spent more than 21 yearsin themilitary,was aware thatthere would be immediate retaliation from the president and his supporters, butheknew whathad to be done.
“I don’t think I would change a thing,” he said recently. “To me, it was a relatively simple decision to do my duty and fulfill my obligations. I swore an oath to defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic.”
Vindman will speak withMasonstudents about the decision that ultimately led to his dismissal from the NSC and retirement from the Army, as well as about ethical dilemmas, professional values and his own personal faith during a virtual evening of reflection at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, April 28, on Zoom. Those who wish to attend “Doing the Right Thing: Facing Ethical Dilemmas in Public Service” may register on Zoom. The virtual discussion is organized by Mason’s Judaic Studies Council.
Vindman will be introduced by Mason President, and the discussion will be moderated by, the director of the John Mitchell Jr. Program, and, the dean of the.
Ardis welcomed the opportunity for students to hear from Vindman.
“[This event]features the important role the humanities play in helping our students deepen their understanding of complex moral and ethical questions, so they can make extraordinary contributions to their communities as engaged citizens,"shesaid.
Born in Kiev to a Jewish family, Vindman came to the United States with his two brothers, his father and his maternal grandmother following his mother’s death. He burst onto the national spotlight in 2019 when he testified during the first impeachment trial.
He joined the National Security Council in 2018, where he helped implement the Trump administration’s Ukraine policy. In this role, he was one of a number of people on the controversial July 25, 2019, phone call in which Trump is alleged to have asked a foreign government to investigate an American citizen for personal political gain.
His testimony during the impeachment trial resulted in retaliation from Trump, who fired him from the NSC and also ousted his twin brother, who was also an Army officer serving at the NSC but not involved in the impeachment proceedings.
But compromising his values was never a thought for Vindman.
“It’s really important to recognize that over a lifetime of public service, you’re exposed to and internalize a set of values,” he said. “They become very important to you. It’s something you try to emulate and train your subordinates to and to live those values.”
He was warned of the consequences if he testified before Congress, but went through with it.
“I could have been intimidated and cowed into retracting my perspective or I could have followed through on my convictions,” Vindman said. “It was pretty straight forward.”
Thevirtualevent willclosely examine themanyethical decisions Vindman faced,said, the director of Mason Hillel and one of the event’s organizers.
The role that faith can play in commitment to ethical public service will also be a topic of discussion at the event.
“This event showcasesMason’s commitmentto the ideal of public service,” said, a professor ofat Mason who also helped organize the event.
Among the event’s sponsors are the, the, the, the(CHSS),,,, the, the, and the.
During the event, the role of Jewish values and philosophy in particular will be expanded upon bySusannah Heschel,who is the Eli M. Black Distinguished Professor of Jewish Studies at Dartmouth College.