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Bolton Speaks for First Time Since Trump Acquittal

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Bolton Speaks for First Time Since Trump Acquittal

John Bolton, President Donald Trump’s former national security adviser, has made his first public statements since being the focal point of the debate over witnesses at President Trump’s Senate impeachment trial.

The controversial former NSA implied Monday that he was worried the administration could try to bury details about his time in the White House as it reviews the manuscript for his highly anticipated book.

Speaking to a capacity audience at Duke University on Monday, he complained that Trump was free to tweet about policy while he faced legal action if he spoke out, but said he hoped his book would not be suppressed despite a prepublication review and promised many more details from his time working for Trump.

His knowledge of the president’s Ukraine strategy was just “sprinkles on the ice cream sundae,” Bolton has alleged.
“This is an effort to write history, and I did it the best I can,” he said. “We’ll have to see what comes out of the censorship.”

His use of the word “censorship,” provoked gasps among some in the 1,200-strong audience.

Last month, it emerged that Bolton, in his book, alleges that the president directed him to help with a pressure campaign to obtain damaging information from Ukraine on his Democratic rivals – most notably former VP, Joe Biden.

Bolton’s memoir, The Room Where It Happened: A White House Memoir, is due to be published on March 17, 2020, by Simon & Schuster.

Speaking onstage to Peter Feaver, professor of political science at Duke, Bolton, by his own admission, “ducked” questions about his instructions from Trump. He said the administration’s prepublication review meant that he could not discuss details for fear of legal action.

“I say things in the manuscript about what he said to me. I hope they become public someday,” he said. “He tweets, but I can’t talk about it. How fair is that?”

The legal battle over his book meant he avoided question after question. When asked whether he agreed with Trump’s characterization of his July 25 phone conversation, the call that sparked a whistleblower complaint, with President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine as “perfect,” he demurred, saying, “You will love chapter 14.”

Bolton’s appearance at Duke marked his first public appearance since leaked details from his draft memoir rocked the president’s Senate impeachment trial. In the manuscript, Bolton claimed that

Trump told him critical military aid to Ukraine would be suspended until the country’s government announced investigations into former Vice President Joe Biden.

The revelation, just as the White House legal team was about to begin its defense of the president, triggered fresh Democratic calls that Bolton be called to give evidence. If true, the claim would undermine a key part of the White House defense: that the suspension of aid was separate from the request to investigate Biden and his son, Hunter Biden, who had worked for a Ukrainian energy company.

Trump quickly denied the claims.

“In fact, [Bolton] never complained about this at the time of his very public termination,” he tweeted. “If John Bolton said this, it was only to sell a book.”

12 COMMENTS

  1. Very undignified to sit in on highly confidential meetings with the president and then write a book about what happened when you were in a position that is not for the public to be part of.

  2. I never thought Bolton was a liar, until now. I guess selling books is more important to this man than telling ther truth.

  3. Beware of a woman scorned. Does anyone expect John Bolton to say anything good about the boss that fired him? What happened to honour? You won’t find it here.

    • I had always been a fan of Bolton after he lost his wife whom I admired, but his irrational behavior regarding the confidential matters discussed in the White House have turned me off on him! He has allowed his bitterness toward the President to overshadow his judgement & his oath of office to hold Private conversations he was a part of to be a despicable contempt of his duties to the country.

  4. By Biden’s own admission, on video, he bragged about how he threatened the Pres of Ukraine that the US would withhold the aid money until and unless the prosecutor investigating Hunter Biden’s involvement with Barisma. He said that if the prosecutor was not fired before he left on his that evening at 6pm , the funds would not be sent to Ukraine. his own crime
    He said “if you don’t believe me call the President- Barack Obama”, all on video. So – Biden admitted his crime on video. He entered the 2020 race simply to have immunity while he runs.
    President Trump is doing exactly what he is supposed to do as our leader and chief of the Executive Beanch.

  5. It is just my opinion, but Bolton should be in Jail like the other impeachment devils. i say devils because the are all evil. What they put President through was a total disgrace.

  6. Used to respect Bolton not ever again
    Betraying his president smells of bolton
    Acting like a spoiled brat because he couldn’t
    Get his way betraying the president is the same as betraying his country and oath he took to fulfill his duties to his boss
    Another cry baby who didn’t get his way he now is a. Bottom feeder his family must be so
    Proud since he will destroy his name and become another has been trump drop out

  7. Bolton is no better than the other deep state traitors who have done everything possible (including lies) to topple this President. He was fired because he was not in tune with his boss. He makes himself a pathetic cry baby by writing this book. Have lost all respect for him.

  8. I wonder if Bolton had gotten the appointment he wanted, would have waited until his position in Trump’s administration was over or would he have gone ahead with his book?
    I never trusted anyone who writes a tell all book, to be truthful.

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