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John Bolton denied Monday that he, his publisher or his literary agent coordinated with the New York Times on a bombshell report that his forthcoming book says that President Trump explicitly told him that a freeze on military aid to Ukraine was tied to an investigation of his political opponents.
"Ambassador John Bolton, Simon & Schuster, and Javelin Literary categorically state that there was absolutely no coordination with the New York Times or anyone else regarding the appearance of information about his book, THE ROOM WHERE IT HAPPENED, at online booksellers. Any assertion to the contrary is unfounded speculation."
Why it matters: The statement pushes back on what's already become a talking point among pro-Trump Republican senators and media — that the leak was specifically timed to drive up sales and interest in Bolton's book, especially given the fact that it became available to preorder shortly after the Times published its report.
Go deeper: Bolton alleges in book that Trump tied Ukraine aid to investigations