Donald Trump tweeted a resurfaced video of John Bolton calling the notorious call to Ukraine's Volodymr Zelensky 'warm and cordial' on Wednesday afternoon and crowed: 'GAME OVER!'
The president's defense against impeachment has been rocked by revelations that Bolton's book will say he explicitly tied Ukraine aid to a probe into Joe and Hunter Biden.
He seized on the interview Bolton conducted with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty while he was still the national security advisor, in which he said that the Trump administration was concerned with corruption, and that the president's two calls with the newly-inaugurated Zelensky were 'warm and cordial.'
'They were very warm and cordial calls. We're hoping that they will be able to meet in Warsaw and have a few minutes together because the success of Ukraine, maintaining its freedom, its system of representative government, a free market economy free of corruption and dealing with the problems of the Donbass and the Crimea are high priorities here, obviously, but are high priorities for the United States,' Bolton said in an interview broadcast on August 27.
Fight back: How Trump leaped on John Bolton's August 27 interview which the president's supporters see as proof Bolton should not give evidence
Focus of defense - and prosecution: Trump's defense includes that he was focused on corruption in Ukraine and that was why he asked Ukraine's president Volodymr Zelensky for probes. Bolton's interview is being seen as supporting that.
Democratic case: House impeachment managers highlighted the lack of the use of the word 'corruption' in the call and the lack of apparent evidence of previous interest in the topic by the president as they pressed their case against him
The video had been circulated widely in conservative circles Wednesday as the maelstrom over Bolton's forthcoming book worsened.
Trump's supporters saw it as evidence that Bolton's manuscript was not in keeping with his past statements - useful to discredit him as a witness, if he were to be called, and also as a tool to dissuade Republican senators from voting to have him give evidence.
Its mention of corruption would appear to offer support to a key plank of Trump's defense: that he wanted to root out corruption in Ukraine and that asking for probes was a legitimate part of foreign policy.
Democratic impeachment managers had assailed that Wednesday as they answered questions from senators, and his own side had struggled to push back when asked what interest he had shown in corruption before Joe Biden ran for president.
'I can't point to something in the record that shows President trump mentioning at an earlier time Joe and Hunter Biden,' Patrick Philbin, his deputy White House Counsel said Wednesday afternoon when asked by Democrats for concrete examples of his interest in investigating Hunter Biden before his father declared his candidacy.
Bolton has never been named as being on the call and earlier this month Trump had dismissed him saying he would 'know nothing about what we're talking about.'
Discussing Bolton's knowledge of the call does however carry risk for Trump, as it could be used to limit any claim of executive privilege over their discussions.
The tweet was a few hours after the White House National Security Council was revealed to have told Bolton that his manuscript contained 'top secret' classified material and could not be published in its current form.
The letter from the White House National Security Council to Bolton's attorney, Charles Cooper throws the publication date of mid-March into doubt.
'Under federal law and the nondisclosure agreements your client signed as a condition for gaining access to classified information, the manuscript may not be published or otherwise disclosed without the deletion of this classified information,' the letter said.
But Cooper released a letter later Wednesday which was sent last week to the NSC and said 'we do not believe that any of the information could reasonably be considered classified,' and urged them to complete their review rapidly 'given that Ambassador Bolton could be called upon to testify as early as next week.'
The directive from the NSC that the book 'may not be published' stands to have an immediate impact on the impeachment proceedings underway in the Senate.
Republican senators are grappling with Democratic demands that the Senate subpoena Bolton to answer questions about Ukraine outlined in his manuscript.
One GOP senator even floated the idea of obtaining the Bolton manuscript and putting it in a room where senators could view it – which could be done if a sign-off on classification was provided for viewing in a secure room.
And at the trial Trump's attorneys were asked exactly when the White House counsel's office - which is led by Pat Cipollone, who is leading Trump's defense - know about Bolton's manuscript.
Deputy White House Counsel Patrick Philbin said he did not know.
'At some point,' he said. 'I don't know off the top of my head.'
The answer is likely to be pursued further by Democrats.
Major blow: The White House National Security Council has written to John Bolton to tell him that some of his manuscript includes 'top secret' information and therefore it cannot be published in its current form
He was in the room where it happens: John Bolton was a regular in the Oval Office until he left the White House saying he had resigned; Donald Trump claimed he was fired
White House bans Bolton book over 'top secret' information
Trump jokes about Senators and Impeachment trial
House impeachment manager Rep. Adam Schiff of California referenced the Bolton book on the Senate floor just minutes after news broke about the White House classification demand.
'Don’t wait for the book. Don’t wait for March 17 when it is in black and white,' he urged senators, pleading with them to allow Bolton to speak.
Many authors who seek to write about matters that raise issues of classification go back and forth with government authorities seeking to publish material. But seeking advance approval is essential.
A Navy SEAL who wrote about the raid that killed Osama bin Laden was ordered to pay $6.8 million to the government for failing to get pre-publication approval.
Fight back: How Trump leaped on John Bolton's August 27 interview which the president's supporters see as proof Bolton should not give evidence
Focus of defense - and prosecution: Trump's defense includes that he was focused on corruption in Ukraine and that was why he asked Ukraine's president Volodymr Zelensky for probes. Bolton's interview is being seen as supporting that.
Democratic case: House impeachment managers highlighted the lack of the use of the word 'corruption' in the call and the lack of apparent evidence of previous interest in the topic by the president as they pressed their case against himThe video had been circulated widely in conservative circles Wednesday as the maelstrom over Bolton's forthcoming book worsened.Trump's supporters saw it as evidence that Bolton's manuscript was not in keeping with his past statements - useful to discredit him as a witness, if he were to be called, and also as a tool to dissuade Republican senators from voting to have him give evidence.Its mention of corruption would appear to offer support to a key plank of Trump's defense: that he wanted to root out corruption in Ukraine and that asking for probes was a legitimate part of foreign policy.Democratic impeachment managers had assailed that Wednesday as they answered questions from senators, and his own side had struggled to push back when asked what interest he had shown in corruption before Joe Biden ran for president.'I can't point to something in the record that shows President trump mentioning at an earlier time Joe and Hunter Biden,' Patrick Philbin, his deputy White House Counsel said Wednesday afternoon when asked by Democrats for concrete examples of his interest in investigating Hunter Biden before his father declared his candidacy.Bolton has never been named as being on the call and earlier this month Trump had dismissed him saying he would 'know nothing about what we're talking about.'Discussing Bolton's knowledge of the call does however carry risk for Trump, as it could be used to limit any claim of executive privilege over their discussions.The tweet was a few hours after the White House National Security Council was revealed to have told Bolton that his manuscript contained 'top secret' classified material and could not be published in its current form.The letter from the White House National Security Council to Bolton's attorney, Charles Cooper throws the publication date of mid-March into doubt.'Under federal law and the nondisclosure agreements your client signed as a condition for gaining access to classified information, the manuscript may not be published or otherwise disclosed without the deletion of this classified information,' the letter said.But Cooper released a letter later Wednesday which was sent last week to the NSC and said 'we do not believe that any of the information could reasonably be considered classified,' and urged them to complete their review rapidly 'given that Ambassador Bolton could be called upon to testify as early as next week.'The directive from the NSC that the book 'may not be published' stands to have an immediate impact on the impeachment proceedings underway in the Senate.Republican senators are grappling with Democratic demands that the Senate subpoena Bolton to answer questions about Ukraine outlined in his manuscript.One GOP senator even floated the idea of obtaining the Bolton manuscript and putting it in a room where senators could view it – which could be done if a sign-off on classification was provided for viewing in a secure room.And at the trial Trump's attorneys were asked exactly when the White House counsel's office - which is led by Pat Cipollone, who is leading Trump's defense - know about Bolton's manuscript.Deputy White House Counsel Patrick Philbin said he did not know.'At some point,' he said. 'I don't know off the top of my head.'The answer is likely to be pursued further by Democrats.
Major blow: The White House National Security Council has written to John Bolton to tell him that some of his manuscript includes 'top secret' information and therefore it cannot be published in its current form
He was in the room where it happens: John Bolton was a regular in the Oval Office until he left the White House saying he had resigned; Donald Trump claimed he was firedHouse impeachment manager Rep. Adam Schiff of California referenced the Bolton book on the Senate floor just minutes after news broke about the White House classification demand.'Don’t wait for the book. Don’t wait for March 17 when it is in black and white,' he urged senators, pleading with them to allow Bolton to speak.Many authors who seek to write about matters that raise issues of classification go back and forth with government authorities seeking to publish material. But seeking advance approval is essential.A Navy SEAL who wrote about the raid that killed Osama bin Laden was ordered to pay $6.8 million to the government for failing to get pre-publication approval.
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