Former national security adviser John Bolton John BoltonDiplomacy with China is good for America The Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by The Air Line Pilots Association - Pence lauds Harris as 'experienced debater'; Trump, Biden diverge over debate prep DOJ launches probe into Bolton book for possible classified information disclosures MORE reportedly told Attorney General William Barr Bill BarrMichigan resident puts toilet on front lawn with sign 'Place mail in ballots here' Barr says Ginsburg 'leaves a towering legacy' Republicans call for DOJ to prosecute Netflix executives for releasing 'Cuties' MORE that he feared President Trump Donald John TrumpUS reimposes UN sanctions on Iran amid increasing tensions Jeff Flake: Republicans 'should hold the same position' on SCOTUS vacancy as 2016 Trump supporters chant 'Fill that seat' at North Carolina rally MORE was granting personal favors to the leaders of China and Turkey.

Bolton recounted the episode in a draft version of his upcoming memoir, according to people familiar with the manuscript who spoke to The New York Times on the condition of anonymity.

Bolton reportedly wrote that Barr responded that he was worried Trump may have created the appearance of having improper influence over investigations involving companies based in those two countries during personal conversations with the leaders of China and Turkey.

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It was not immediately clear what "personal favors" Bolton reportedly referred to in his book. In recent months, the Trump administration has faced criticism for allowing a Turkish military invasion of areas of northern Syria held by U.S.-backed Kurdish forces, and the Times noted that Bolton wrote that Barr specifically singled out Trump's conversations with Chinese President Xi Jinping about the Chinese telecommunications firm ZTE as a cause for worry.

Bolton, in a joint statement with publisher Simon & Schuster, said Monday that they were not involved in leaking transcripts of Bolton's book to the Times, though Bolton has not yet denied any revelations reported by the Times.

The White House did not immediately return a request for comment from The Hill.

On Sunday, it was reported that Bolton wrote in the book that Trump told him he wished to tie $391 million in aid to Ukraine to his requests for Ukrainian investigations into former Vice President Joe Biden Joe BidenMomentum growing among Republicans for Supreme Court vote before Election Day Trump expects to nominate woman to replace Ginsburg next week Video of Lindsey Graham arguing against nominating a Supreme Court justice in an election year goes viral MORE and other Democrats, a charge Trump's lawyers immediately denied.

Trump personally lashed out at his former aide on Twitter after the Sunday report, writing that he "never" told Bolton that aid to Ukraine was linked to his desire for a criminal investigation into Biden, a 2020 political rival.

"I NEVER told John Bolton that the aid to Ukraine was tied to investigations into Democrats, including the Bidens," Trump tweeted. "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."