Beyond Ukraine Scandal, Bolton Says Trump Sought China’s Help for Reelection

The incident that led to the president’s impeachment was only part of a larger pattern, former national security advisor writes.

The Ukraine scandal that sparked a political firestorm and monthslong impeachment investigation may not have been a one-off aberration but part of a larger pattern by which U.S. President Donald Trump adjusted foreign policy to help his reelection bid, according to new bombshell allegations from his previous national security advisor, John Bolton.

In a new tell-all book on his time serving in the Trump White House, Bolton alleges that the president asked his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, for his help in securing Trump’s reelection and supporting American farmers in swing states with favorable trade deals. 

This is among a raft of damaging allegations that Bolton has leveled against the president in a new Wall Street Journal op-ed and other reports based on advance copies of his forthcoming memoir, The Room Where It Happened, with Bolton coming out swinging against his former boss following a pitched legal battle with the White House over whether his book could be published in its current form. 

Article URL: https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/06/17/john-bolton-trump-reelection-2020-ukraine-china-foreign-policy-scandal-controversy-impeachment/