The New York Times reports that former National Security Advisor John Bolton said President Donald Trump told him he wanted military aid to Ukraine linked to an investigation of former Vice President Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden in his forthcoming book.
The report led to a new round of calls for senators to subpoena Bolton as a witness in the Senate trial.
In a series of tweets, Trump denied that he told Bolton he wanted to link aid to an investigation of the Bidens.
“I NEVER told John Bolton that the aid to Ukraine was tied to investigations into Democrats, including the Bidens. In fact, he never complained about this at the time of his very public termination. If John Bolton said this, it was only to sell a book.”
I NEVER told John Bolton that the aid to Ukraine was tied to investigations into Democrats, including the Bidens. In fact, he never complained about this at the time of his very public termination. If John Bolton said this, it was only to sell a book. With that being said, the…
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 27, 2020
…(Democrats said I never met) and released the military aid to Ukraine without any conditions or investigations – and far ahead of schedule. I also allowed Ukraine to purchase Javelin anti-tank missiles. My Administration has done far more than the previous Administration.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 27, 2020
News of the reportedly “bombshell” content of the book didn’t sit well some commentators.
CNN analyst Asha Rangappa suggested that Bolton may have refused to testify before House impeachment investigators because it would have hurt his book sales.
https://twitter.com/AshaRangappa_/status/1221766391730262017
Conservative commentators suggested that Bolton’s book was designed to hurt the president politically:
https://twitter.com/seanmdav/status/1221637010709983232
https://twitter.com/seanmdav/status/1221637940184567810
So some bad press involving a former member of Trump's administration leaked to the New York Times and than that person's Amazon link for his new book went up a few hours later.
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) January 27, 2020
Where have I heard this story before?
This is obviously book promo coordinated with compliant media, yes. But an additional word of skepticism: these *particular* folks have a pattern of overpromising and underachieving with their "bombshell" anti-Trump book roll outs. https://t.co/xid14bUvmG
— Mollie (@MZHemingway) January 27, 2020
https://twitter.com/BuckSexton/status/1221647548143804416
What an amazing coincidence! pic.twitter.com/G6KeFoOzan
— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) January 27, 2020
This came along right about on schedule. https://t.co/cSXZDVKpNB
— Brit Hume (@brithume) January 27, 2020
https://twitter.com/RealSaavedra/status/1221646196705378304
Bolton refused to testify in the House probe, telling lawmakers he would take a subpoena to court to decide whether he must comply. But recently, he said he would comply with a subpoena to testify in the Senate’s impeachment trial.
On Monday, Trump sent out a misleading tweet that suggested House Democrats did not ask Bolton to testify — and therefore missed their window to hear testimony from him.
The Democrat controlled House never even asked John Bolton to testify. It is up to them, not up to the Senate!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 27, 2020
The House did ask Bolton to testify, but after he vowed to fight it in court they decided against pursuing his testimony.
Democrats have called for Bolton to testify in the Senate trial, but that would require a simple majority of senators to vote to call him as a witness.
It is unclear whether the details from Bolton’s book will sway enough Republican senators to vote to subpoena Bolton.
