Here, Right Matters

Retired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Vindman,who found himself at the center of a firestorm for his decision to report the infamous phone call that led to presidential impeachmenttells his own story for the first time. HERERIGHT MATTERS is a stirring account of Vindman’s childhood as an immigrant growing up in New York Cityhis career in service of his new home on the battlefield and at the White House and the decisions leading up toand fallout surroundinghis exposure of President Trump’s abuse of power. 0900ThursdayJuly 252019: President Trump called Ukraine’s President Zelenskysupposedly to congratulate him on his recent victory. In the months that followedthe American public would only learn what happened on that call because Alexander Vindman felt duty-bound to report it up the chain of command: that the President of the United States had extorted a foreign ally to damage a political challenger at home. Vindman’s actions and subsequent testimony before congress would lead to Trump’s impeachment and affirm Vindman’s belief that he had done the right thing in the face of intense pressure to stay silent. But it would come at an enormous coststraining relationships with colleaguessuperiorsand even his own fatherand eventually end his decorated career in the US Armyby a Trump administration intent on retribution. HereRight Matters is Vindman’s proudpassionateand candid account of his familyhis careerand the moment of truth he faced for his nation. As an immigrantraised by a father who fled the Soviet Union in pursuit of a better life for his childrenVindman learned about respect for truth throughout his education and military service. As this memoir makes clearhis decision to speak up about the July 25th call was never a choice: it was Vindman’s dutyas a naturalized citizen and member of the armed forces. In the wake of his testimonyhe would endure furious partisan attacks on his record and his loyalty. But far louder was the extraordinary chorus of support from citizens who were collectively intent on reaffirming an abiding American commitment to integrity. In the face of a sure-fire career derailment and public excoriationVindman heeded the lessons from the people and institutions who instilled in him the moral compass and the courage to act decisively. Like so many other American immigrant familiesthe Vindmans had to learn to build a life from scratch and take big risks to achieve important goals. HereRight Matters is about the quiet heroes who keep us safe; butabove allit is a call to arms for those who refuse to let America betray its true self.