Trump legal team wraps up opening arguments in Senate impeachment trial, dismisses Bolton allegations

WASHINGTON, DC -- President Donald Trump’s impeachment defense team on Tuesday wrapped up three days of opening arguments at his Senate trial but questions remained over whether senators will hear new witnesses, especially former National Security Adviser John Bolton.

Trump's lawyers addressed and dismissed reported allegations by Bolton that Trump told him he was withholding military aid to Ukraine until Ukraine agreed to investigate the Bidens.

They argued, even if true, that doesn't constitute an impeachable offense.

The next phase of the trial -- in which senators will submit questions to both sides for up to 16 hours -- is expected to begin Wednesday. After that, a pivotal point in the trial -- a Senate vote on whether to consider new witnesses and other evidence -- could come as early as Friday.

Republicans faced new pressure to add witnesses following the newly reported revelations from the New York Times about Bolton's claims.

In a twist, Oklahoma Republican James Lankford suggested that senators could review the unpublished manuscript of Bolton’s forthcoming book. He called Bolton’s information “pertinent” to the trial.

“If John Bolton’s got something to say, there’s plenty of microphones all over the country that he should step forward and start talking about it right now,” Lankford said.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, a staunch ally of President Trump, said he agreed that the draft manuscript of Bolton’s forthcoming book be made available to senators, but in a classified setting.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer made another argument for witnesses at a news conference on Tuesday.

He noted that with the president's denial of Bolton's allegation, the two are telling opposing stories and said, since Trump won't testify, senators need to hear from Bolton to decide who's telling the truth.

He said it was "on the shoulders of four Republican senators" to make sure Bolton, acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney and two other administration officials testify, referring to GOP Sens. Mitt Romney, Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski and Lamar Alexander.

He also called the GOP talk of having senators read the Bolton manuscript in a secure setting is an "absurd proposal."

"Nothing is a substitute for a witness testifying under oath," Schumer maintained.

"We're not bargaining with them," Schumer said of Republican talk of having Hunter Biden testify in exchange for Bolton appearing.