The Justice Department asked a federal judge to issue an emergency order to block the release of former national security adviser John Bolton’s book as key details were revealed in press reports.
The DOJ asked a judge on Wednesday to issue a restraining order to prevent the book from being distributed even though the publisher says it has already gone out.
“Disclosure of the manuscript will damage the national security of the United States,” the DOJ filing said. “The United States asks this court to hold defendant to the legal obligations he freely assumed as a condition of receiving access to classified information and prevent the harm to national security that will result if his manuscript is published to the world.”
But Bolton’s book has already been obtained and excerpted by multiple news outlets. Here are some of the revelations within:
Trump asked Xi to help with election: President Trump asked Chinese President Xi Jinping to buy more agircultural products to help farmers in a bid to help with his re-election.
“I would print Trump’s exact words but the government’s prepublication review process has decided otherwise,” Bolton wrote.
Trump defended concentration camps: At the same meeting, Bolton writes, Trump defended China’s camps where 1 million Uighur Muslims were forcibly relocated.
“According to our interpreter,” Bolton writes, “Trump said that Xi should go ahead with building the camps, which Trump thought was exactly the right thing to do.”
Bolton confirms impeachment case: Bolton, who refused to testify during the impeachment proceedings, confirmed that Trump pressured Ukraine to hurt Joe Biden’s candidacy. He further faulted Democrats for not investigating Trump’s dealings with China and Turkey.
Barr, Kelly, Pompeo slammed Trump: Bolton wrote that numerous officials shared his concerns about Trump. Attorney General Bill Barr was concerned over Trump’s dealings with China and Turkey, he wrote. Former chief of staff John Kelly questioned his competence. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo wrote that Trump was “full of shit” during a meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
Trump backed MBS to distract from Ivanka: Bolton wrote that Trump issued a statement defending Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman after the murder of Jamal Khasshogi to distract from his daughter’s personal email scandal.
“This will divert from Ivanka,” Trump said, according to Bolton’s book. “If I read the statement in person, that will take over the Ivanka thing.”
Trump wanted journalists killed: “These people should be executed. They are scumbags,” Trump said of journalists during a 2019 meeting, according to Bolton.
