Before he left the two-day World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Wednesday, President Donald Trump said at a press conference that he would love for witnesses testify at his ongoing Senate impeachment trial, but that letting some people give testimony would be a threat to national security.

Asked for this thoughts on witnesses at the trial which began on Tuesday, Trump said he would let the Senate decide on the matter, but then added:

“I would rather go the long way. I would rather interview Bolton. I would rather interview a lot of people.”

Seconds later, however, the president seemed to suggest that national security concerns are a problem:

“The problem with John is that it’s a national security problem. 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 I have to deal on behalf of the country?”

By that same token, if Trump is truly convinced that he did nothing wrong in regard to the withholding of military aid to Ukraine, shouldn’t he welcome testimony from witnesses if that would exonerate him?

Claiming that executive privilege applies to all members of the administration, the president also commented that he would love to see Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, former Secretary of Energy Rick Perry, and acting Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney appear before the Senate and tell what they know, but he also made it clear he isn’t about to give his approval to such a plan without a prolonged court fight, ending his remarks by saying the Senate would have to decide how to move forward:

“I’m going to leave that to the Senate. The Senate is going to have to answer that.

“I’m going to head back and I’ll be watching. But it’s really going to be up to the Senate.”

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