WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump asked China’s Xi Jinping during a 2019 summit meeting to help his reelection prospects by purchasing more American farm products, according to a new book by former Trump national security adviser John Bolton that is highly critical of the president.
Bolton called Trump’s effort to shift the June 2019 conversation to the U.S. election a stunning move, and wrote that it was among innumerable conversations that “formed a pattern of fundamentally unacceptable behavior that eroded the very legitimacy of the presidency.”
Overall, Bolton wrote, because staff had served him so poorly, Trump “saw conspiracies behind rocks, and remained stunningly uninformed on how to run the White House, let alone the huge federal government.”
As for the meeting with the Chinese president in Osaka, Japan, Bolton wrote that Trump told Xi that Democrats were hostile to China.
“He then, stunningly, turned the conversation to the coming U.S. presidential election, alluding to China’s economic capability to affect the ongoing campaigns, pleading with Xi to ensure he’d win,” Bolton said. “He stressed the importance of farmers, and increased Chinese purchases of soybeans and wheat in the electoral outcome.”
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A new book by former national security adviser John Bolton says President Trump asked China’s president during a 2019 summit to help his reelection prospects by purchasing more American farm products. https://t.co/Tt5juKXuoh
— The Associated Press (@AP) June 17, 2020
Pleaded. Like a dog. pic.twitter.com/gMFZEbaoIC
— Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) June 17, 2020
As I said before, my opinion of Bolton declined sharply when he wasn’t man enough to testify at the impeachment. Now I don’t believe anything he says or writes. His credibility is shot, IMO. He just wants to sell his book.
The thing is, the Trump cult will reject the evidence. They only accept one narrative, and it comes from the Dear Leader. Melania herself could come out and say Trump married Putin in Sochi and they'd turn on her. https://t.co/gF1K8n8w3D
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) June 17, 2020
I've been writing over and over again since the "deal" was announced in January that Trump's trade-deal was entirely about getting markets frothing ahead of re-election, which explained his incredible reluctance to call China out. And along comes John Bolton to confirm it.
— Michael Brendan Dougherty (@michaelbd) June 17, 2020
Horrifying. Also, read this — and it's an on-the-record allegation from a copious note-taker who has long been trusted throughout conservative media: https://t.co/o2s6G2bQ1K pic.twitter.com/slNcthe06d
— David French (@DavidAFrench) June 17, 2020
Man, every file photo of John Bolton and Donald Trump looks like Bolton is organizing his book outline in his head. pic.twitter.com/Xxp2GouaNs
— Jim Geraghty (@jimgeraghty) June 17, 2020
Four months after John Bolton says @realDonaldTrump asked China to help with his re-election, Trump’s on camera saying China should investigate the Bidens.
We don’t need to know if the book is true, because he’s already done it out in the open.
pic.twitter.com/eEqaHsT4MW— The Lincoln Project (@ProjectLincoln) June 17, 2020
This man headlined every right-wing gathering; appeared on every Fox News show; wrote op-eds in conservative publications; raised millions for GOP candidates; was exalted as a voice of integrity, authority, honesty. And now he is the enemy—because he spoke ill of the dear leader. https://t.co/nM8cYZAwVX
— Tim Alberta (@TimAlberta) June 18, 2020
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