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A26 U.S. NEWS
Thursday 18 June 2020
Bolton says Trump asked China to help him get reelected

By ZEKE MILLER, DEB RIECH- reelection. Lighthizer spoke
MANN and JILL COLVIN at a Senate hearing on
WASHINGTON (AP) — Presi- trade issues and was asked
dent Donald Trump asked about Bolton's recollection
China's Xi Jinping during of events.
a 2019 summit meeting to "Absolutely untrue. Never
help his reelection pros- happened. I was there. I
pects by purchasing more have no recollection of
American farm products, that ever happening. I
according to a new book don't believe it's true. I don't
by former Trump national believe it ever happened,"
security adviser John Bolton Lighthizer said. "Would I rec-
that is highly critical of the ollect something as crazy
president. as that? Of course, I would
Bolton called Trump's effort recollect it."Trump continu-
to shift the June 2019 con- ally pandered to Xi, Bolton
versation to the U.S. elec- wrote. At a White House
tion a stunning move, and Christmas dinner in 2018,
wrote that it was among Bolton said Trump asked
innumerable conversations why the U.S. was sanction-
that "formed a pattern of ing China over it treatment
fundamentally unaccept- of Uighurs. China suspects
able behavior that eroded Uighurs, who are predomi-
the very legitimacy of the In this Sept. 30, 2019, file photo, former national security adviser John Bolton gestures while speak- nantly Muslim and cultur-
presidency." ings at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. ally and ethnically distinct
Overall, Bolton wrote, be- Associated Press from the majority Han Chi-
cause staff had served nese population, of harbor-
him so poorly, Trump "saw office. Several other former the conversation to the Tuesday by Simon & Schus- ing separatist tendencies.
conspiracies behind rocks, officials have written books, coming U.S. presidential ter, has been the subject of In recent years, China has
and remained stunningly but they have been almost election, alluding to Chi- a lengthy battle between dramatically escalated its
uninformed on how to run entirely flattering of the na's economic capability Bolton and the White campaign against them by
the White House, let alone president. Other former of- to affect the ongoing cam- House. The Trump adminis- detaining more than 1 mil-
the huge federal govern- ficials have indicated they paigns, pleading with Xi tration insists that the pre- lion people in internment
ment." Bolton said that were saving their accounts to ensure he'd win," Bolton publication review process camps and prisons, which
while he was at the White of their time working for said. "He stressed the im- was never completed and China calls vocational
House, Trump typically had Trump until after he left of- portance of farmers, and sued Bolton this week to training centers.
only two intelligence brief- fice in order to speak more increased Chinese pur- try to delay publication of "At the opening dinner of
ings a week "and in most of candidly. chases of soybeans and the book, saying it contains the Osaka G-20 meeting,
those, he spoke at greater As for the meeting with the wheat in the electoral out- classified information. with only interpreters pres-
length than the briefers, of- Chinese president in Osaka, come." U.S. Trade Representa- ent, Xi explained to Trump
ten on matters completely Japan, Bolton wrote that Bolton wrote that he would tive Robert Lighthizer said why he was basically build-
unrelated to the subjects at Trump told Xi that Demo- print Trump's exact words, Wednesday that he at- ing concentration camps
hand." crats were hostile to China, "but the government's pre- tended a meeting be- in Xinjiang," Bolton wrote.
Bolton's book paints an un- according to the 577-page publication review process tween Trump and Xi at "According to our interpret-
varnished portrait of Trump book. The Associated Press has decided otherwise." the Group of 20 nations in er, Trump said that Xi should
and his administration, obtained a copy in ad- The book, titled "The Room Osaka, but he never heard go ahead with building the
lending the most vivid, first- vance of its release next Where It Happened: A Trump pleading with Xi to camps, which he thought
person account yet of how week. White House Memoir," buy more agriculture prod- was exactly the right thing
Trump conducts himself in "He then, stunningly, turned which is set to be released ucts to ensure he would win to do. "q
With storms in May, lawmaker wants a longer hurricane season

By MIKE SCHNEIDER vember, but Murphy said letter. "Accordingly, an of-
Associated Press there has been at least ficial season that does not
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Even one named storm before accurately predict major
though the six-month Atlan- June 1 in each of the past storm activity could result
tic hurricane season lasts six years. in readiness being com-
as long as a typical Major In 2020, three tropical promised and people and
League Baseball season, storms — Arthur, Bertha and property being harmed."
a Florida congresswoman Cristobal — formed in mid- NOAA has received the
thinks it needs to be longer. May and the beginning of congresswoman's let-
Democratic U.S. Rep. June, she said. ter and the agency looks
Stephanie Murphy on "This presents a practical forward to discussing the
Wednesday sent a letter problem, because govern- topic with her, spokesman
to the National Oceanic ment officials and residents Christopher Vaccaro said.
and Atmospheric Adminis- in hurricane-prone states "I don't think there is any
tration requesting that the use this season to inform reason to lengthen the hur-
Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez, right, gives a tour start of the official hurricane their funding choices, pub- ricane season, since we
to Acting Secretary of Homeland Security, Chad Wolf, of the season be in mid-May. lic awareness campaigns, haven't had a hurricane in
Miami-Dade Emergency Operations Center, Monday, June 8, The current season goes and preparation deci- May in 50 years," Klotzbach
2020, in Doral, Fla.
Associated Press from June through No- sions," Murphy said in the said in an email.q