Trump asks why Bolton didn’t complain earlier

President Trump asked in an early morning tweet on Wednesday why his former national security adviser, John Bolton, did not “complain” earlier about his concerns over Trump’s communications with Ukraine. 

“Why didn’t John Bolton complain about this ‘nonsense’ a long time ago, when he was very publicly terminated. He said, not that it matters, NOTHING!,” Trump tweeted shortly after midnight.

Why didn’t John Bolton complain about this “nonsense” a long time ago, when he was very publicly terminated. He said, not that it matters, NOTHING!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 29, 2020

Trump’s ramped-up attacks on Bolton follow the former administration official’s accusations that the president tied Ukrainian aid to investigations into former Vice President Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden. 

The accusations in a manuscript of Bolton’s forthcoming memoir, reported by The New York Times on Sunday, bolstered Democrats’ case for Bolton to testify during the Senate impeachment trial.

Trump, who has railed against the impeachment process from the start, hit the process as a “hoax” in a separate overnight tweet. 

“No matter how many witnesses you give the Democrats, no matter how much information is given, like the quickly produced Transcripts, it will NEVER be enough for them. They will always scream UNFAIR. The Impeachment Hoax is just another political CON JOB!” Trump tweeted. 

No matter how many witnesses you give the Democrats, no matter how much information is given, like the quickly produced Transcripts, it will NEVER be enough for them. They will always scream UNFAIR. The Impeachment Hoax is just another political CON JOB!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 29, 2020

Bolton is one of several key witnesses with firsthand knowledge of Trump’s decisions toward Ukraine that Democrats want to testify. Republicans, especially Trump’s closest congressional allies, have largely dismissed the need for witnesses during the trial. 

But since Bolton’s manuscript was reported, a few swing Republicans have signaled they may join Democrats in voting to compel witnesses. If all Democrats vote to allow witnesses and documents, they will need at least four Republicans to join them. 

A vote on witnesses is expected Friday.

Trump has not been alone in piling on attacks targeting Bolton — some of his most staunch allies have joined in attempting to diminish Bolton’s credibility. 

Fox Business personality Lou Dobbs, a typically ardent Trump defender, on Sunday said Bolton has “been reduced to a tool for the radical Dems and the deep state.” 

White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham later added on Dobbs’s Sunday show, “How much does it cost to sell out potentially national security in your country?”

Trump has denied the account Bolton reportedly describes and accused him of trying to sell more books. 

Bolton has denied coordinating the leak with the Times.