Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) answers questions during a news conference at the US Capitol on Oct. 29 in Washington, DC. Win McNamee/Getty Images

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell went to extraordinary lengths today to avoid giving substantive answers to direct questions about the allegations made by Army Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, the first current White House official to testify in the House impeachment inquiry about President Trump's controversial call with the Ukrainian president that is at the heart of the probe.

McConnell was pressed by a reporter about Vindman's testimony at his weekly news conference in the Capitol, as several other members of the Senate GOP leadership stood stoically — and silently — behind him.

Notably, the Kentucky Republican's nonresponses came just a day after Trump had implored congressional Republicans to spend more energy defending his actions on that phone call, which he has described as "perfect," and not just to complain about the closed-door investigative process by House Democrats.

"Concerning Col. Vindman's testimony, what he heard on the President's call, that conversation with the Ukrainian leader was so concerning that he worried it might undermine US national security. Does it concern you? Are you worried about the President's behavior at all?" the reporter asked McConnell.

In response, the GOP Senate leader answered a different question, one that was never asked, about charges from some of Trump's supporters that Vindman might not be patriotic because he was born in Ukraine.

"I'm not gonna question the patriotism of any of the people who are coming forward," McConnell volunteered.

He then shifted topics to speak about a key impeachment resolution the House is set to vote on Thursday — one that is expected open up the investigative process — something Republicans have pressed for but were still waiting to see the final language of to determine whether they considered it satisfactory.

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