Secretary of State Mike Pompeo Michael (Mike) Richard PompeoWatchdog confirms State Dept. canceled award for journalist who criticized Trump Trump's push for win with Sudan amps up pressure on Congress Putin nominated for Nobel Peace Prize MORE said on Wednesday that he was on a phone call between President Trump Donald John TrumpFederal prosecutor speaks out, says Barr 'has brought shame' on Justice Dept. Former Pence aide: White House staffers discussed Trump refusing to leave office Progressive group buys domain name of Trump's No. 1 Supreme Court pick MORE and Ukraine's president that contributed to the launch of a House impeachment inquiry.

"I was on the phone call," he said at a press conference in Rome. "I know precisely what the American policy is with respect to Ukraine. It's been remarkably consistent and we will continue to try to drive those set of outcomes."

A whistleblower complaint released last week accused Trump of asking Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to look into Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden and his son for Trump's personal gain.

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"Biden went around bragging that he stopped the prosecution so if you can look into it ... It sounds horrible to me," Trump said on the July 25 call, according to a memo released by the White House.

House Democrats looking into the incident have called for five current and former State Department officials to testify, but Pompeo said Tuesday that they would not show up.

On Wednesday, he said the demands "deeply violate fundamental principles of separation of powers."

"They contacted State Department employees directly, told them not to contact legal counsel at the State Department," he said. "They said that the State Department wouldn't be able to be present."