The Memo: Bolton and Trump gear up for book fight

The opening skirmishes in a battle between President Trump and his former national security adviser John Bolton were being fought on Friday - and there are plenty more to come.

Bolton's book, "The Room Where It Happened," will be published on June 23.

According to marketing material from his publisher, Bolton will allege that Trump's purported misdeeds regarding Ukraine - the issue that led to his impeachment in December - were replicated "across the full range of his foreign policy."

The publisher promises that Bolton "documents exactly what those were" and also stresses that the author was "astonished" to see "a president for whom getting reelected was the only thing that mattered, even if it meant endangering or weakening the nation."

The book seems sure to elicit a counter-punch or two from the president. It would not be the first time Trump has put Bolton in his social media crosshairs.

In January, Trump complained on Twitter: "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."

The New York Times reports that an unpublished manuscript from Bolton alleges that Trump personally stated that Congress must freeze Ukraine's mandatory assistance to Ukraine as long as authorities in the Eastern European country begin such an investigation.

Trump previously insisted on Twitter that Bolton was fired in September 2019.

See Bolton v. Trump contracts have a complex moral and ethical structure.

During the Trump impeachment hearing, Bolton expressed willingness to testify if he worked with a subpoena, and if that subpoena was justified in court. House Democrats did not eventually leave him, for fear that the legal process would drag on too long.

To his colleagues, Bolton posed valid questions. To his critics, he was engaged in a rigorous strategy to avoid evidence and preserve important revelations for his book.

Lawyer Mark Zaid, who specializes in national security matters and represents clients on both sides, was appalled at Bolton's situation - particularly because of the seriousness of what the book claims was ready.

"He essentially withdrew the information directly related to the investigation of the impeachment, and he did so solely for the sole purpose of publishing it in the book.

The question of what to testify is "a decision he has the authority to make," Zaid said.

In a speech to Vanderbilt University, Bolton said he regretted not testifying, "not with the end result," USA Today reported in February.

Florida GOP strategist Rick Wilson, who critically criticized Trump's two books, said during the indictment, Bolton was "a great opportunity to serve his country and articulate what he saw." And instead "opted". That is in his book. "

Wilson, a prominent figure among anti-Trump Republicans, said that when it comes to Bolton, for Trump's overall view: "I absolutely believe that. There is no doubt that John Bolton is a witness. There is no doubt that Spectrum is a terrible behavior from a criminal."

Representatives of the White House and the National Security Council (NSC) did not respond to requests for comment in an email Friday.

But no one expects a real silence. There is already a long struggle over the manuscript of the book, and the NSC is calling for deliberate changes to protect national security.

Bolton lawyer Chuck Cooper wrote an op-ed in The Wall Street Journal on Wednesday, arguing that it "violates a transparent attempt to use national security with the intent of censoring Mr. Bolton." The constitutional right to speak on matters of import of their public constitution. "

Some GOP insiders are not interested in the Bolton effort and think some glimpses of sympathy for the Trump position.

"I don't like when people take advantage of the situation for monetary gain or to retaliate," said a veteran of the former Republican administration, who asked to remain anonymous. “Very few people leave the office and write bright books about their service because if you call a publisher, the first thing they will say is,‘ What can you tell us that we don’t know and that is really bad?

The book is written by Bolton, former president George W.W. A man of extreme controversy in the Bush administration.

Bolton, who served as US ambassador to the United Nations, was one of the most vocal supporters of the Iraq war. He continues to defend hate positions on Iran, North Korea and other foreign policy hotspots.

Bolton's acceptance of criticism of Trump won him some unpredictable fans and alienated plenty of former allies of the GOP.

Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) Told the New York Times in January that he had become a "completely reversed world" when it comes to Bolton.


Bolton's book also comes at a time when Trump has faced criticism from other people in foreign policy or the military establishment, including former Secretary of State Colin Powell and former Defense Secretary James Mattis.


But some observers suspect the Bolton book will have a real political impact, with some really explosive and well-written revelations.

Sol Wijenberg, a lawyer who served as Kenneth Starr's deputy independent counsel during the Clinton-Lewinsky scandal, said he believes Bolton has already been viewed too politically, so there is no bilateral theft like Mattis.

"He's like a lot of people who aren't in favor of Trump," Weizenberg said of Bolton. "I'm interested in what he says. I don't know if it makes much difference."

Wilson says there is at least one thing Bolton can look forward to - the inevitable tweets from the president may have saved the book, but undoubtedly, helped to make it public.


"John should wake up every day. I hope Donald Trump is Donald Trump that day," he said.

The memo is a column reported by Niall Stanez, which focuses primarily on Donald Trump's presidency.