House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff (D-CA) interrupted Ranking Member Rep. Devin Nunes' line of questioning to Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman in order to not out the whistleblower during Tuesday's public hearing.
Vindman said he had discussed President Trump's July 25 phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky with people including the "Department of State, Department of State Deputy Assistant Secretary George Kent, who is responsible for the portfolio, Eastern Europe including Ukraine, and an individual in the intelligence community."
Nunes ask Vindman to be more specific since the intelligence community is comprised of 17 different agencies.
"If I could interject here. We don’t want to use these proceedings...we need to protect the whistleblower...I want to make sure that there is no effort to out the whistle-blower through these proceedings. If the witness has a good faith belief that this may reveal the identity of the whistleblower, that is not the purpose that we’re here for. I want to advise the witness accordingly," Schiff said.
"It’s our time," Nunes replied.
Vindman reiterated he does not know who the whistleblower is.
"How is it possible for you to name these people and then out the whistleblower?" Nunes asked.
"Per the advice of my counsel, I have been advised not to answer specific questions about members of the intelligence community," Vindman answered.
When Nunes called Vindman "Mr. Vindman," Vindman asked for the Ranking Member to call him by his full rank instead.
Schiff has repeatedly stated he does not know who the whistleblower is.