WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump told his national security adviser he wanted to maintain a freeze on military assistance to Ukraine until it launched political investigations into his Democratic rivals, according to a report in The New York Times on Sunday.
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The newspaper said John Bolton’s description of his exchange with Trump appears in drafts of his forthcoming book. The revelation challenges the defense offered up by Trump and his attorneys in his Senate impeachment trial and raises the stakes as the chamber decided this week whether to seek sworn testimony from Bolton and other witnesses.
Bolton, who acrimoniously left the White House a day before Trump ultimately released the Ukraine aid on Sept. 11, has already told lawmakers that he is willing to testify, despite the president’s order barring aides from cooperating in the probe.
The White House did not respond to a request for comment Sunday night. Trump’s personal attorney Rudy Giuliani, who has played a prominent role in the Ukraine affair, replied to a request for comment with a text: “I used to like and respect John and tell people they were wrong about how irresponsible he was. I was wrong.”
Democrats need at least four Republicans to vote with them to seek witness testimony. Those prospects looked unlikely in recent days and it’s unclear if the new revelations about Bolton’s book will sway any GOP senators.
Democrats quickly sought to ramp up the pressure on their Republican counterparts.
“John Bolton has the evidence,” tweeted Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. “It’s up to four Senate Republicans to ensure that John Bolton, Mick Mulvaney, and the others with direct knowledge of President Trump’s actions testify in the Senate trial.”
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell had no immediate comment, according to his office.
The Associated Press has not confirmed the content of Bolton’s draft book. A person familiar with the matter told the AP the book had been submitted to the White House for pre-publication review, which is standard for the work of former officials with security clearances. The person insisted on anonymity to discuss the sensitive subject.
The book’s publisher, Simon & Schuster, declined to comment.
Sarah Tinsley, an adviser to Bolton, said: “The ambassador’s manuscript was transmitted to the White House in hard copy several weeks ago for pre-publication review by the NSC. The ambassador has not passed the draft manuscript to anyone else. Period.”
Bolton attorney Charles J. Cooper said in a statement that the pre-publication review process had been “corrupted and that information has been disclosed by persons other than those properly involved in reviewing the manuscript.”
Democrats accuse Trump of abuse of power in withholding the military assistance to Ukraine to push that country to mount investigations into Democrats, including former Vice President Joe Biden and his son Hunter, who served on the board of a Ukraine gas company, Burisma, while his father was in office.
On Saturday, the president’s attorneys said during their opening day of defense arguments that there was no evidence that Trump made the military aid contingent on the country announcing an investigation into Biden.
The Times also reported that Bolton says he told Attorney General William Barr that he was mentioned by Trump on his July 25 call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. A Justice Department official on Sunday disputed Bolton’s account that he had told Barr about the president’s call with Zelenskiy but did say that Bolton had called Barr to raise concerns about Giuliani’s shadow diplomacy efforts.
Trump on Wednesday told reporters in Davos, Switzerland, that he didn’t want Bolton to testify before the Senate.
“The problem with John is it’s a national security problem,” Trump said. “He knows some of my thoughts. He knows what I think about leaders. What happens if he reveals what I think about a certain leader and it’s not very positive and then I have to deal on behalf of the country?”
He added: “It’s going to be very hard. It’s going to make the job very hard.”
Bolton attorney Charles J. Cooper said in a statement that the pre-publication review process had been “corrupted and that information has been disclosed by persons other than those properly involved in reviewing the manuscript.”
So there you have it. Fake NY Times news at its worst. The corrupt DNC have solicited their buddies in the NY Times to spread falsehoods against the sitting President of the United States in an attempt to undo the 2016 elections and disenfranchise millions of voters. Very sad day in this formerly great Country.
There you have WHAT? Bolton attorney Charles J. Cooper didn’t say that what the NY Times reported was corrupted because it was false. He just said that the process was corrupted because the information was improperly disclosed.
Big deal. At best, it’s called investigative reporting. At worst, it’s a “so what?”
If he knows something it would be better to say it sooner rather than later.
Bolton is writing a book all the pr leaks only enhance interest and sales
Bolton, your last hope, Trump haters , will add nothing substantial. Listen, you’re not removing our great leader. For 3 years , every day, your miserable media and Deep State tried everything_ from Mueller to Avanotti, books, bimbos, anonymous op-eds, and even your latest hope Parnas, is a sleazbag liar. The only thing you’re doing is increasing your chances of being thrown into Sheol for trying to destroy an innocent man. Nothing will avail you. Zilch.
I don’t see anything in the lawyer’s statement that denies the gist of the Times story, which is drawn directly from Boloton’s forthcoming memoirs.
The USSR -united states senate republicans – just received confirmation that everything that Trump is accused of is the truth. But they do not want the truth. Get rid of them.
Jayson needs a lesson in reading comprehension. Cooper didn’t say the information is fake. Cooper said the White House prepublication process is corrupted; like everything else about this White House.
Its not fake news. Its real news that got scooped by The Times. Crying wolf over every bit of real info against Trump’s dung state doesn’t make it fake. Trump has stained his own presidency and America.
As on cue, not one of you Trump haters offer even a skunk’s hair of evidence to back up your allegations. Folks, these people never do. Just smearing and lying. You’ve had 3 years. Now it’s Bolton. How about tomorrow??? No sane person buys your stale crap.
“not one of you Trump haters offer even a skunk’s hair of evidence to back up your allegations”
Where have you been Horseface, buried in Fox? There are mountains of public email, video and testimonial evidence that much of the world saw, and which even a Trumpy Groupy like you can Google, see for yourself and download.
Mountains?????.???????????
Give us an anthill or hold your “piece”.
One….. uno…
Cixel.. phineas…. you’re a traffic cop directing the peons to …..where?? Evidence??
You spend a time on a post and you can’t even write one lousy tidbit of incrimination. Look here, look there, look around… R U kidding us with a corny joke, or what?
Where is your evidence? Why is this such a difficult question???
Did someone say Google?. Everyone knows it’s a leftist biased spew hydrant , only showing pages of leftist propaganda..
Mulvaney was trump’s own chief if staff.
That’s evidence of corruption. I think it warrants removal from office but have no problem with people that differ in that regard. But abuse of power? The evidence is voluminous.
Mulvaney said no such thing and impeachment never mentions him. So why do you need Bolton now? Youre full of fluff phineas. Full of it.