Former national security adviser John Bolton
John BoltonDefense policy bill would create new cyber czar position Pressure grows from GOP for Trump to recognize Biden election win Sunday shows - Virus surge dominates ahead of fraught Thanksgiving holiday MORE reportedly claims in his as yet unpublished memoir that President Trump
Donald John TrumpAppeals court OKs White House diverting military funding to border wall construction Pentagon: Tentative meeting between spy agencies, Biden transition set for early next week Conservative policy director calls Section 230 repeal an 'existential threat' for tech MORE sought to tie hundreds of millions of dollars in aid to Ukraine to his requests for the country's leaders to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden
Joe BidenAppeals court OKs White House diverting military funding to border wall construction Federal student loan payment suspension extended another month Pentagon: Tentative meeting between spy agencies, Biden transition set for early next week MORE and his son Hunter Biden.
Multiple sources familiar with Bolton's book told The New York Times that he writes that President Trump personally told him that $391 million in aid to Ukraine should be frozen until Ukrainian officials announced the investigations, including one into the Democratic National Committee.
The book, which does not have a publication date as of yet, has been submitted to the White House for review. White House officials did not immediately return a request for comment from The Hill on the report.
An attorney for President Trump, Rudy Giuliani
Rudy GiulianiHow Trump's election lawsuits became his worst nightmare Michigan voter fraud hearing goes viral for alleged flatulence, unruly witness Trump hits Barr over voter fraud remarks: 'He hasn't looked' MORE, responded in a statement obtained by ABC News: "I used to like and respect John, and tell people they were wrong about how irresponsible he was. I was wrong."
"He never once expressed concern to me. If he had confronted me, I could have explained it to him.....He wasn’t man enough to just ask and instead makes false and irresponsible barges to write a book about his failed career."
Giuliani reacts to Bolton report in the Times - telling me via text: "I used to like and respect John [Bolton] and tell people they were wrong about how irresponsible he was. I was wrong." More @ABC
— John Santucci (@Santucci) January 27, 2020
More from Rudy - "He [Bolton] never once expressed concern to me. If he had confronted me, I could have explained it to him.....He [Bolton] wasn’t man enough to just ask and instead makes false and irresponsible barges to write a book about his failed career." https://t.co/2xjRyuH82n
— John Santucci (@Santucci) January 27, 2020
The report comes as the Senate has debated for days over whether to allow witnesses in Trump's ongoing impeachment trial beyond those who spoke to House investigators in past months.
Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer
Chuck SchumerBipartisan governors call on Congress to pass coronavirus relief package Pelosi, Schumer endorse 8 billion plan as basis for stimulus talks Funding bill hits snag as shutdown deadline looms MORE (D-N.Y.), who has pressed Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell
Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellOn The Money: Unemployment gains lower than expected | Jobs report lights fire under coronavirus relief talks GOP senators back Christian school's push for COVID-19 carve-out Bipartisan governors call on Congress to pass coronavirus relief package MORE (R-Ky.) to allow such witnesses to testify, reiterated his demand following news of Bolton's allegations.
"John Bolton has the evidence," he tweeted. "It’s up to four Senate Republicans to ensure that John Bolton, Mick Mulvaney
Mick MulvaneyMick Mulvaney 'concerned' by Giuliani role in Trump election case On The Money: Senate releases spending bills, setting up talks for December deal | McConnell pushing for 'highly targeted' COVID deal | CFPB vet who battled Trump will lead Biden plans to overhaul agency Consumer bureau vet who battled Trump will lead Biden plans to overhaul agency MORE, and the others with direct knowledge of President Trump’s actions testify in the Senate trial."
John Bolton has the evidence.
— 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.https://t.co/JbazBaYdRU
Bolton's lawyer confirmed the authenticity of the Times's report in a tweet, writing that he regretted that excerpts had been leaked during the classification and review process.
Bolton lawyer statement: pic.twitter.com/W7oJlLr5pt
— Zeke Miller (@ZekeJMiller) January 27, 2020
Bolton left the White House last year, with the president and his former aide disagreeing publicly at the time over whether he had been fired or resigned. The claim in his upcoming book revealed Sunday directly contradicts statements from Trump and other administration officials who have denied that aid to Ukraine was ever tied to the president's efforts to convince Ukraine's president to open investigations.
