Ex-White House aide feared Sondland posed counterintelligence risk: report

Former presidential aide Fiona Hill reportedly said she believed U.S. Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland created a counterintelligence risk because his inexperience could be exploited. 

Two people familiar with Hill’s closed-door testimony before the House this week told The New York Times she said Sondland’s lack of job preparation made him a possible national security risk.{mosads}

She didn’t say he acted maliciously but described his as driving in an unfamiliar area without guardrails or a GPS, the anonymous sources told the Times. 

Hill, the former White House senior director for European and Russian affairs, reportedly described Sondland’s use of a personal phone for official business and said he told foreign officials they could visit the White House whenever they wanted. 

The sources said Hill accused Sondland of promoting himself to foreign officials as someone who could get them White House meetings and gave out cell numbers of U.S. officials to foreigners. 

Sondland is slated to testify before the House on Thursday. After Sondland was subpoenaed by the House, his attorney said in a statement that he would appear.

Sondland is the founder and CEO of a Portland hotel company and was a major Trump donor.