The decision on calling witnesses to testify about Donald Trump’s actions toward Ukraine could be a moment of truth for the Washington veteran, a supporter of the president who has reportedly pushed his administration on its Ukraine policy.

Sen. Rob Portman’s difficult dance with Donald Trump showed up twice last week on the sidelines of the president’s impeachment trial.

The Ohio Republican was among senators credited with persuading Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to back off of a plan for initial impeachment presentations to take place in 12-hour chunks, likely into the wee hours of the morning. Portman, of Cincinnati, also pushed for a change to ensure that all of the House impeachment materials were made part of the evidentiary record.

The next day, his name surfaced in a series of newly unveiled emails. Portman’s national security adviser had asked a top budget official in August why the Trump administration was withholding Congress-approved aid to Ukraine — funding that Portman, co-founder and co-chairman of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, had advocated for years. Portman’s office never received an answer.

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Portman voted Tuesday with the rest of Senate Republicans against subpoenaing that very same budget official for the impeachment trial, saying he won’t decide whether to support subpoenas until both sides finish their opening presentations.

That could happen this week, bringing a moment of truth for the Washington veteran.

Portman is among the minority of GOP senators who have explicitly said that Trump’s July 25 call with Ukraine’s president was far from “perfect,” as Trump repeatedly boasts. In fact, Portman condemned Trump for seeking help from Ukraine and China to probe Joe Biden and son Hunter. He agreed with the elder Biden’s call to oust a Ukraine prosecutor, a move Trump says shows the then-vice president’s corruption.

Yet Portman was an early endorser of Trump’s re-election and is a titular co-chair of his Ohio campaign committee. And Portman said well before the Senate trial that he had seen nothing meriting impeachment, much less removal from office.

.@realDonaldTrump announces Ohio re-election team, including @GovMikeDeWine, @LtGovHusted, @senrobportman, @HouseholderOH and all 12 Republican members of Congress pic.twitter.com/PGOtVWPOKs

— Karen Kasler (@karenkasler) July 31, 2019

Portman’s personal involvement in the Ukraine aid situation leads some to ask whether he should be a witness rather than juror. He chatted with the Ukraine president and other leaders in the eastern European country just last May, one of several visits he’s made in recent years. He met with Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch in early 2019, about three months before Trump ousted her.

Last summer, Portman talked to Secretary of Defense Mark Esper, Vice President Mike Pence and finally Trump himself about the withheld funds. Portman says they didn’t give a reason until Trump told him Sept. 11 that he delayed the payment because he wanted other countries to pay up, too — which was news to Portman. Never was a need to probe corruption mentioned.

Less than two weeks later, Portman rode with Trump from the Lima airport to an appearance in Wapakoneta in northwestern Ohio, and we don’t know whether Ukraine funding came up then.

Portman frequently justifies holding his tongue on Trump’s behavior by pointing to what Portman can get done for Ohio if he doesn’t alienate the president. And Portman has chided reporters for focusing questions on impeachment rather than other topics.

However, Portman’s office has turned down several recent Dispatch requests to talk in depth about his 2019 accomplishments, as well as elaborate on his impeachment stance for his constituents.

drowland@dispatch.com

@darreldrowland

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