Former National Security Advisor to President Donald Trump resigned in September, but he's been back in the news the past few weeks after testimony from diplomat Dr. Fiona Hill in the impeachment inquiry against Trump.
Trump's personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani, Ambassador to the E.U. Gordon Sondland, and White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney (among others) conducted a pressure campaign on Ukrainian officials to announce an investigation into the President's political rival, former Vice President Joe Biden.
Dr. Fiona Hill testified in a closed-door hearing that Bolton said to her:
“I am not part of whatever drug deal Sondland and Mulvaney are cooking up.”
Hill also testified that Bolton said of the President's personal lawyer:
“Giuliani’s a hand grenade that’s gonna blow everybody up.”
This revelations along with other testimony implicating Bolton have lead to growing calls for Bolton to testify before the House Intelligence Committee overseeing impeachment.
Bolton hasn't responded, until now.
After months of silence on his Twitter account, Bolton suddenly began tweeting again this morning—one day after Dr. Hill's public testimony--with a decidedly cryptic message.
Glad to be back on Twitter after more than two months. For the backstory, stay tuned........— John Bolton (@John Bolton) 1574427603.0
Which he soon began elaborating on:
We have now liberated the Twitter account, previously suppressed unfairly in the aftermath of my resignation as Nat… https://t.co/iSYzbiuYst— John Bolton (@John Bolton) 1574436671.0
Re: speaking up -- since resigning as National Security Advisor, the @WhiteHouse refused to return access to my per… https://t.co/rfCvzMPZ2x— John Bolton (@John Bolton) 1574447644.0
According to Bolton, the White House denied him access to his Twitter. He further implied that the White House was scared of what he might say and asserted that he hadn't gone into hiding.
But it's not Bolton's silence on Twitter that's concerning Americans. It's his silence throughout the impeachment proceedings.
Twitter users called for him to testify.
@AmbJohnBolton @WhiteHouse You need to publicly testify— Amy Siskind 🏳️🌈 (@Amy Siskind 🏳️🌈) 1574447766.0
@AmbJohnBolton @WhiteHouse Your employees have testified and been vilified for telling the truth. Are you going to support them or not?— Chris Barton (@Chris Barton) 1574448973.0
@AmbJohnBolton @WhiteHouse Please help! Trump is a runaway train and nobody is trying to stop him on the Republic… https://t.co/S16phL9kNF— Julie (@Julie) 1574447972.0
@AmbJohnBolton @WhiteHouse Here’s an idea. If you want to prove it you’re better than Trump, don’t tweet your position, testify as to it— Howard (@Howard) 1574448712.0
@AmbJohnBolton @WhiteHouse This is cool and all, but could you maybe actually help us out with this crisis or something?— mikey babb (@mikey babb) 1574448386.0
@AmbJohnBolton @JohnJHarwood @WhiteHouse I don't believe a word that you say Mr Bolton regarding the WH refusing to… https://t.co/YQEF8IFCt7— Stephen Elpop (@Stephen Elpop) 1574448292.0
@AmbJohnBolton @WhiteHouse Testify and stop playing games. Be a patriot.— Brittany (@Brittany) 1574447790.0
Bolton has previously said he wouldn't testify without being subpoenaed by Congress—a subpoena Congress has been hesitant to deliver for fear of it being contested by the White House and subsequently held up in court.
"Testify" began trending on Twitter shortly after Bolton's tweets.