US: Trump says former advisor Bolton 'broke the law'

U.S. President Donald Trump was asked about former National Security Advisor John Bolton's new book Wednesday on Fox News Channel's “Hannity," and the president accused Bolton of violating the law by releasing the book. “He broke the law. Very simple. I mean, as much as it’s going to be broken,” Trump said. “It’s highly classified information, and he did not have approval.”

The book, titled “The Room Where It Happened: A White House Memoir,” is set to be released Tuesday by Simon & Schuster. The White House worked furiously to block the book, asking a federal court for an emergency temporary restraining order Wednesday against its release.

The 577-page book paints an unvarnished portrait of Trump and his administration, amounting to the most vivid, first-person account yet of how Trump conducts himself in office. Several other former officials have written books, but most have been flattering about the president. Other former officials have indicated they were saving their accounts of their time working for Trump until after he left office in order to speak more candidly. The Associated Press obtained a copy of Bolton’s book in advance of its release next week.

Bolton's book says Trump “pleaded” with China’s Xi Jinping during a 2019 summit to help his reelection prospects and accuses the president of being driven by political calculations when making national security decisions.

U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer refuted the book's description of Trump asking Chinese President Xi Jinping to help his re-election effort. Lighthizer said Wednesday that he attended a meeting between Trump and Xi at the Group of 20 nations in Osaka, Japan, but he never heard Trump pleading with Xi to buy more agriculture products to ensure he would win reelection.

“Absolutely untrue. Never happened. I was there. I have no recollection of that ever happening. I don’t believe it’s true. I don’t believe it ever happened,” Lighthizer said at a Senate hearing on trade issues.