Former United States National Security Adviser John Bolton has said that President Donald Trump sought help from Chinese President Xi Jinping to win re-election.
Bolton says Trump wanted China to buy agricultural produce from US farmers, according to details of the forthcoming book previewed by US media.
He also says Trump “remained stunningly uninformed on how to run the White House”.
The allegations refer to a meeting between President Trump and President Xi at the G20 summit in Osaka, Japan, in June last year.
“Trump, stunningly, turned the conversation to the coming US presidential election [in 2020], alluding to China’s economic capability and pleading with Xi to ensure he’d win,” Bolton wrote.
“He stressed the importance of farmers and increased Chinese purchases of soybeans and wheat in the electoral outcome.”
The Trump administration is trying to block the book from hitting shelves.
Speaking to Fox News, Mr Trump said of Mr Bolton: “He broke the law. This is highly classified information and he did not have approval.”
“He was a washed up guy,” the president added. “I gave him a chance.”
