Former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch, center, arrives on Capitol Hill, Friday, Oct. 11, 2019, in Washington, as she is scheduled to testify before congressional lawmakers on Friday as part of the House impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump. AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite

Marie Yovanovitch, the former US ambassador to Ukraine, told House lawmakers pursuing the impeachment inquiry that she had discussed concerns with Gordon Sondland, the US ambassador to the European Union, that White House officials had sought to smear her and pressure her to resign.

She said that in response, Sondland told her she needed to tweet praise for President Donald Trump to make clear her support.

„He said, ‚You know, you need to go big or go home,'“ she said in testimony made public Monday, recalling her conversation with Sondland. „‚You need to, you know, tweet out there that you support the president.'“

Yovanovitch was removed from her post in May.

Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories.

Newly public testimony indicates that a former US ambassador to Ukraine told congressional lawmakers she had been told by another diplomat to tweet praise for President Donald Trump as she learned of a campaign to undermine her.

Marie Yovanovitch told House members conducting the impeachment inquiry against Trump that she had discussed in a phone call with Gordon Sondland, the US ambassador to the European Union, her concerns about hostile media reports about her in the US.

„He said, ‚You know, you need to go big or go home,'“ she recalled Sondland telling her.

„‚You need to, you know, tweet out there that you support the president.'“

„I did not see how I could implement“ Sondland’s advice, Yovanovitch said, citing her role as a politically impartial ambassador.

Tweet Embed:

//twitter.com/mims/statuses/1191397781463846913?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Amb. Yovanovitch is a dedicated American diplomat who was forced from her position after a vicious smear campaign orchestrated by the president’s allies.

Today, we’re releasing her transcript, and that of another committed public servant, Amb. McKinley.https://t.co/1y8beUdeLr

In her testimony, made public Monday, Yovanovitch told lawmakers that the US’s policy toward Ukraine had been compromised by operators pursuing partisan objectives who were attempting to damage her reputation and force her removal from office.

She was recalled by Trump in May after being told by Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan that the president had lost faith in her.

Her testimony was delivered in early October to lawmakers investigating whether Trump abused his office in attempting to get Ukraine to conduct investigations meant to help him politically.

Trump Zelensky Jonathan Ernst/Reuters

She recalled feeling threatened when told of a July 25 call between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in which the US president said she was „going to go through some things.“

Yovanovitch said she did not know what Trump meant, adding: „I was very concerned. I still am.“

In a statement Monday, the House Intelligence Committee’s chairman, Adam Schiff, said the transcripts of Yovanovitch’s testimony „demonstrate clearly how President Trump approved the removal of a highly respected and effective diplomat based on public falsehoods and smears against Ambassador Yovanovitch’s character.“

Trump has long used Twitter to threaten and bully opponents and to lavish praise on allies.

Asked about Yovanovitch’s remarks Monday, he replied: „I really don’t know her.“

„The president of the Ukraine was not a fan of hers either,“ he added.