New York Times: Trump Told Bolton to Help His Ukraine Pressure Campaign, Book Says
WASHINGTON — More than two months before he asked Ukraine’s president to investigate his political opponents, President Trump directed John R. Bolton, then his national security adviser, to help with his pressure campaign to extract damaging information on Democrats from Ukrainian officials, according to an unpublished manuscript by Mr. Bolton.
Mr. Trump gave the instruction, Mr. Bolton wrote, during an Oval Office conversation in early May that included the acting White House chief of staff, Mick Mulvaney, the president’s personal lawyer Rudolph W. Giuliani and the White House counsel, Pat A. Cipollone, who is now leading the president’s impeachment defense.
Mr. Trump told Mr. Bolton to call Volodymyr Zelensky, who had recently won election as president of Ukraine, to ensure Mr. Zelensky would meet with Mr. Giuliani, who was planning a trip to Ukraine to discuss the investigations that the president sought, in Mr. Bolton’s account. Mr. Bolton never made the call, he wrote.
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Update: New John Bolton bombshell as Republicans get the votes to block witnesses: His book says Donald Trump ordered him to help Giuliani meet Ukraine's Zelensky - which president denies but Rudy DOESN'T and calls Bolton a 'scumbag' (Daily Mail)
WNU Editor: Since President Trump was inaugurated, I have lost count on the number of times the New York Times says it has a bombshell report on President Trump, and after a few days everything fizzles. And here is another "bombshell report. The problem with this claim is that Ukraine did get military aid. The Biden family was not investigated by the Ukrainians. And Ukraine President Zelenskiy has been persistent in denying these that he was ever pressured by President Trump.
Update #2: Not surprising, President Trump is denying these new reports .... Trump denies asking Bolton to put Zelensky and Giuliani in contact (The Hill). More here .... Trump denies telling Bolton to pressure Ukraine (AFP).