Trump denies new Bolton 'bombshell'

President Donald Trump (Official White House photo)

President Trump denied Friday the claim in a New York Times report citing John Bolton's upcoming book that the president told his then-national security adviser to help him pressure Ukraine to investigate the Bidens.

The New York Times reported earlier Friday that Bolton claims Trump directed him to ensure that Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky met with Rudy Giuliani, the president's personal attorney.

Bolton, according to the Times, said acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney and White House counsel Pat Cipollone were at the May 2019 meeting in the Oval Office.

"I never instructed John Bolton to set up a meeting for Rudy Giuliani, one of the greatest corruption fighters in America and by far the greatest mayor in the history of NYC, to meet with President Zelensky," Trump said in a White House statement. "That meeting never happened."

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The House Democrat impeachment managers continued to press Friday for additional witnesses, including Bolton and Mulvaney.

But with the announcement by Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, that she will vote against new witnesses, the Republicans appear to have enough votes.

"The House chose to send articles of impeachment that are rushed and flawed," she said in a statement. "I carefully considered the need for additional witnesses and documents, to cure the shortcomings of its process, but ultimately decided that I will vote against considering motions to subpoena."