President Donald Trump began frantically tweeting this morning in what appears to be a desperation move aimed at damage control after portions of a book by former National Security Adviser John Bolton were leaked to the media Sunday evening.
Excerpts from Bolton’s forthcoming book suggest that Trump did indeed pressure Ukraine for dirt on the Bidens in exchange for releasing $391 million in military aid the Ukrainians needed to counter Russian aggression, according to the New York Times, which broke the story:
“President Trump told his national security adviser in August that he wanted to continue freezing $391 million in security assistance to Ukraine until officials there helped with investigations into Democrats including the Bidens, according to an unpublished manuscript by the former adviser, John R. Bolton. […]
“Mr. Bolton’s explosive account of the matter at the center of Mr. Trump’s impeachment trial, the third in American history, was included in drafts of a manuscript he has circulated in recent weeks to close associates. He also sent a draft to the White House for a standard review process for some current and former administration officials who write books.”
This new information from Bolton’s book could also change the dynamic of the ongoing Senate impeachment trial of President Trump, The Hill notes:
“The revelation complicates Trump’s impeachment trial in the Senate, where senators are bitterly divided over whether to hear from witnesses like Bolton or move straight to a vote to acquit or convict the president.”
Trump, however, maintained on Twitter that he had never told Bolton he was holding up aid to Ukraine so he could get damaging information on the Biden family:
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
…transcripts of my calls with President Zelensky are all the proof that is needed, in addition to the fact that President Zelensky & the Foreign Minister of Ukraine said there was no pressure and no problems. Additionally, I met with President Zelensky at the United Nations…
— 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
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
READ THE TRANSCRIPTS!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 27, 2020
We can probably expect dozens of other tweets this morning as Trump feels the wall closing in on him.
Featured Image Via CNN Screenshot
