There would be absolutely nothing wrong with Trump saying that. He was turning Chi’s complaint around and saying: If you want better relations, give me the deal I want.
Bolton acknowledges that Chi probably wasn’t talking about democrats, of course he meant Trump’s own team including Bolton. Trump brushed that off and pretended that Chi meant the opposition back home.
I’ve used a similar tactic in negotiating, telling my adversary that I needed a certain victory in order to be a “hero” to the rest of the team.
I learned a long time ago from a very wise negotiator, you always have to give “reasons” for the concessions on both sides. You can’t just say I want more, you always wrap your demands in explanations. Trump was just playing Chi, ignoring his complaint as if he didn’t know it was aimed at Trump himself.
Who is Chi? Did you mean Xi or China?