I actually can see Trump trying to put it that way for leverage, as if it is asking a personal favor, instead of just robotically giving Xi (or Erdogan) his listed requests for the country.
Now, do I think that he also thought it actually would help his reelection? Of course. He thinks his agenda is for the good of the country and therefore something the voters will want to reelect him for.
The error comes in thinking he was requesting favors just for his own benefit or even to the detriment of the country.
Trump (correctly) sers what he is nwgotiating for as good for the country and thus by definition good for his reelection.
Note: Bolton doesn’t have any stories of requests to stuff any Trump family bank accounts, but instead to by products from American farmers, who were hit hard by Trump’s earlier nwgotiating tactics to prepare Xi for the bargaining table.
Bolton claims that Trump offered to drop prosecutions involving Turkey. Were these prosecutions actually dropped?
Also, didn’t Trump condemn China’s concentration camps?