stableImportance 4/5Confidence 4/51 documented update

Bolton’s shadow kept swallowing Trump’s defense

The Senate impeachment fight moved closer to a witness showdown, and John Bolton’s name was the one thing Trump could not shake off. The White House wanted the trial to stay narrow and fast; Democrats wanted witnesses who could confirm what the president was saying, and what he was hiding. By the end of the day, the effort to wall off Bolton looked less like strategy than panic.

Why it matters: Bolton trap

First recorded Jan 24, 2020·Meaningfully updated Jan 24, 2020

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Bolton’s shadow kept swallowing Trump’s defense

The Senate impeachment fight moved closer to a witness showdown, and John Bolton’s name was the one thing Trump could not shake off. The White House wanted the trial to stay narrow and fast; Democrats wanted witnesses who could confirm what the president was saying, and what he was hiding. By the end of the day, the effort to wall off Bolton looked less like strategy than panic.

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Bolton’s shadow kept swallowing Trump’s defense

The Senate impeachment fight moved closer to a witness showdown, and John Bolton’s name was the one thing Trump could not shake off. The White House wanted the trial to stay narrow and fast; Democrats wanted witnesses who could confirm what the president was saying, and what he was hiding. By the end of the day, the effort to wall off Bolton looked less like strategy than panic.

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