Everything you need to know about the Trump-Ukraine impeachment inquiry in 56 seconds.

Day 30

Wednesday 23 October

Top developments

Donald Trump’s denial of dirty dealing in Ukraine took a serious hit – a roundhouse on the chin – with the closed-door testimony on Tuesday of a diplomat who was directly involved in communications between Ukraine and the White House.

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Bill Taylor, a career diplomat and former ambassador to Ukraine, ignored a White House gag order to testify before Congress for almost 10 hours.

Taylor testified that Trump’s White House sought a quid pro quo with Ukraine involving US military aid in exchange for a public announcement by the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, that he was investigating a company tied to former vice-president Joe Biden.

Trump has always fiercely denied any quid pro quo with Ukraine, and he has forced his defenders in Congress to issue similar denials.

They are all lying or ignorant, implied Taylor in his opening statement.

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Democratic members of Congress were aghast upon leaving the closed hearing room. One called the testimony a “sea change” that would “accelerate” impeachment. Another said Taylor provided the “most thorough account of everything so far”.

Why it matters

The central allegation in the inquiry is that Trump abused power by pressuring Ukraine to gin up bad news about Biden in exchange for a White House visit or military aid. In doing so, Trump twisted the immense powers of his office to personal ends in betrayal of constitution and country, his critics allege.

Congress now has sworn testimony that Trump did so, despite his denials.

Guardian read of the day

US envoy says Trump used military aid to push Ukraine to investigate Biden

Line of the day

Even before the Taylor testimony came to light, Trump let loose one of his wildest attacks on the impeachment inquiry yet, calling it a “lynching”: “All Republicans must remember what they are witnessing here – a lynching,” he tweeted. “But we will WIN!” Given Trump’s history of racist remarks and his strategic use of cruelty, the tweet drew a chorus of outrage.

What’s next

Trump and his allies will face a wave of questions about their version of events. Congress planned to continue taking testimony this week. The Democrats are said to be zeroing in on the precise language of articles of impeachment.

The big picture

Trump’s impeachment remained a likely prospect, with majority support among Democrats in the House unchanged and the latest polls showing robust public support as well. But for Trump to be removed from office, about 20 Republican senators would have to defect, and there was no new sign on Tuesday of such a movement.