GOP Sen. Mitt Romney said Monday it’s “increasingly apparent” that more Republican senators will support calling witnesses in President Trump’s impeachment trial following revelations about Ukraine in former national security adviser John Bolton’s book.

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

Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) said in a statement on Twitter she was “likely to vote to call witnesses” and that the “reports about John Bolton’s book strengthen the case for witnesses and have prompted a number of conversations among my colleagues.”

Romney and Collins are among a handful of moderate Republicans who have expressed interest in having witnesses testify at the Senate impeachment trial.

Democrats, who have sought Bolton’s testimony, as well as acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney’s, would need four Republicans to vote with them on a motion to call witnesses.

Two other Senate Republicans, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Lamar Alexander of Tennessee, have signaled their desire for witnesses.

Bolton’s book, which is expected to be published in March, casts doubt on Trump’s reasons for holding up nearly $400 million in military aid to Ukraine.

The book claims that Trump paused the aid until the Ukrainian president announced an investigation into former Vice President Joe Biden and his son Hunter, the New York Times reported.

Trump denied Bolton’s allegations on Twitter.

“I NEVER told John Bolton that the aid to Ukraine was tied to investigations into Democrats, including the Bidens. In fact, he never complained about this at the time of his very public termination. If John Bolton said this, it was only to sell a book,” he wrote.

Trump and his Republicans supporters have maintained that the president paused the aid over concerns about out-of-control corruption in Ukraine.

Senators could vote as soon as this week on whether to call witnesses or subpoena more documents.



