Former national security adviser John Bolton said on Monday that he is “prepared to testify” in the Senate’s impeachment trial of President Donald Trump , Politico reports.
In a statement, Bolton — who was asked to testify as part of the House of Representatives’ impeachment investigation but did not — said that he wants to meet his “obligations” both as a citizen and as a former Trump administration official.
“I have concluded that, if the Senate issues a subpoena for my testimony, I am prepared to testify.”
“Since my testimony is once again at issue, I have had to resolve the serious competing issues as best I could, based on careful consideration and study,” Bolton stated.
As NBC News notes, as national security adviser Bolton had a “front-row seat” to Trump’s alleged pressure campaign against the Ukrainian government.
Allegations pertaining to the president’s alleged pressuring of Ukraine are at the heart of the House of Representatives’ impeachment articles. According to the articles, Trump pressured Ukrainian authorities to investigate one of his main political rivals, former Vice President Joe Biden, by withdrawing military aid, and thus committing multiple impeachable offenses.
Bolton — who left the administration a couple of weeks before an anonymous intelligence community official blew the whistle on Trump’s alleged pressure campaign — has previously said that he would not testify unless subpoenaed and ordered to defy commands given via the White House.
In his statement, Bolton also suggested that a Senate trial is necessary to determine whether Trump acted inappropriately during his contacts with the Ukrainian government, writing that “it does not appear possible that a final judicial resolution of the still-unanswered Constitutional questions can be obtained before the Senate acts.”
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi is yet to send the two articles of impeachment her chamber voted on to the Senate. Pelosi and other top Democrats have suggested that the articles will not be sent to the upper chamber until Majority Leader Mitch McConnell commits to holding a fair and impartial trial.
House Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff recently confirmed that the House does not plan on holding the articles indefinitely. However, he did not disclose when they will be sent to the Senate.
Trump has maintained his innocence, blasting the Democrats for pushing what he claims is yet another “hoax.”
Today, the president lashed out at Democrats once again, arguing that the impeachment is a partisan “hoax” perpetrated by Democrats determined to damage his re-election campaign.
“The Impeachment Hoax, just a continuation of the Witch Hunt which started even before I won the Election, must end quickly,” the president tweeted.
