Romney: ‘Increasingly likely’ other GOP senators will support hearing from Bolton

Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) said on Monday that he believes it is more likely other Republican senators will support subpoenaing former national security adviser John Bolton in the wake of an explosive New York Times report.

Romney said it’s “increasingly apparent” that the Senate should hear from Bolton after the Times reported that he claims in his forthcoming memoir that President Trump tied Ukraine aid to help with investigations into Democrats.

“It’s pretty fair to say John Bolton has relevant testimony,” Romney told reporters. “I think it’s increasingly likely that other Republicans will join those of us who think we should hear from John Bolton.”

Bolton’s forthcoming memoir has thrown a curveball into Trump’s impeachment trial, which had appeared to be on track to wrap up this week.

Trump has denied Bolton’s allegation, and GOP allies, including Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.), have argued that it doesn’t change the fact that Ukraine has said it didn’t feel pressure to investigate Democrats including former Vice President Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden.

But Democrats have seized on the allegation as evidence that the Senate needs to call new witnesses.

The chamber is expected to vote later this week on whether to call witnesses. If that vote is successful, both sides would then be able to make motions for specific individuals that would be voted on by the Senate.

Democrats need four Senate Republicans to vote with them to successfully call witnesses.

So far, Romney is the only GOP senator who said he wants to hear from Bolton, though he’s stressed that he’ll make a final decision after opening arguments and questions from senators.

Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) have both signaled they are open to witnesses but want to make a decision after the initial phase of the trial. They have not weighed in on the Times story.