Two U.S. diplomats have told lawmakers, the State Department was being used for domestic political purposes under President Donald Trump. They warned that would hurt American interests, according to trans released yesterday from Congress' impeachment investigation to remove Mr Trump from office for alleged abuses of power.<br />''<br />''Michael McKinley, a former top adviser to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, told U.S. House of Representatives committees that injecting domestic politics weakened diplomacy. McKinley said he quit his post after the State Department opted not to defend then-U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch from attacks by Trump and his political allies.<br />''<br />''According to Reuters news agency, Yovanovitch was abruptly recalled as U.S. ambassador to Ukraine after a smear campaign by Trump allies. In her testimony, also released yesterday, she said the State Department was being "attacked and hollowed out from within" and that not rebuilding it would harm the United States.<br />''<br />''<span style="color: #222222;">The trans were the first released by the closed-door inquiry by the House Foreign Affairs, Intelligence and Oversight panels. The Republican President is accused of trying to pressure Ukraine into investigating unsubstantiated corruption claims against his political rival, Joe Biden, and his son, Hunter Biden, who worked with a Ukrainian gas company.</span><br />