Washington, January 27 (RHC)-- As the historic impeachment trial of President Donald Trump continues this week, explosive new revelations about Trump’s decision to freeze aid to Ukraine has emerged.  The New York Times reports former national security adviser John Bolton writes in his forthcoming book that Trump personally told him in August that he wanted to continue withholding nearly $400 million in security aid until Ukraine turned over materials related to former Vice President Joe Biden and supporters of Hillary Clinton in Ukraine. 

The reports are based on a leaked manuscript of Bolton’s book.  Trump took to Twitter shortly after midnight Monday to deny the claims, writing: “I NEVER told John Bolton that the aid to Ukraine was tied to investigations into Democrats, including the Bidens.  In fact, he never complained about this at the time of his very public termination.  If John Bolton said this, it was only to sell a book.”

This comes as Trump’s defense team resumed their opening arguments on Monday, after using just two hours of their allotted 24 hours Saturday.  White House counsel Pat Cipollone argued that Trump’s July phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky did not explicitly tie aid to the investigations, and accused Democrats of trying to “overturn the results of the last election.”

Senators are preparing to vote this week on whether new evidence and witnesses can be introduced in Trump’s impeachment trial.  Four Republicans would need to side with Democrats and vote in favor of the move.