Trump Slams Bolton, Book: 'If I Listened to Him, We Would Be in World War Six by Now'
President Donald Trump slammed former National Security Advisor John Bolton on Wednesday over his new book and his performance in the Trump White House.
According to media accounts, Bolton claims in a book scheduled to be published in March that Trump linked military aid to Ukraine with the country’s willingness to investigate alleged corruption involving former Vice President Joe Biden and his son, Hunter.
While the aid ended up being released to Ukraine, the Bolton claim has roiled the waters of Trump’s Senate impeachment trial because it is at the heart of the allegations against him.
Trump posted several tweets regarding Bolton on Wednesday, two reflecting the policy differences that saw the president jettison Bolton last year.
Had Trump listened to Bolton, who has long been known as a foreign policy hawk, the U.S. would be have become embroiled in another war, the president said.
“For a guy who couldn’t get approved for the Ambassador to the U.N. years ago, couldn’t get approved for anything since, ‘begged’ me for a non Senate approved job, which I gave him despite many saying ‘Don’t do it, sir,’ takes the job, mistakenly says ‘Libyan Model’ on T.V., and many more mistakes of judgement, gets fired because frankly, if I listened to him, we would be in World War Six by now, and goes out and IMMEDIATELY writes a nasty & untrue book,” Trump wrote.
….many more mistakes of judgement, gets fired because frankly, if I listened to him, we would be in World War Six by now, and goes out and IMMEDIATELY writes a nasty & untrue book. All Classified National Security. Who would do this?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 29, 2020
“All Classified National Security. Who would do this?”
Trump further noted that the outspoken Bolton, who was fired as national security advisor in September, didn’t go public with the issues he had regarding Trump’s Ukraine policy until now.
“Why didn’t John Bolton complain about this ‘nonsense’ a long time ago, when he was very publicly terminated. He said, not that it matters, NOTHING!” Trump tweeted.
Why didn’t John Bolton complain about this “nonsense” a long time ago, when he was very publicly terminated. He said, not that it matters, NOTHING!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 29, 2020
Later, Trump posted a tweeted showing Bolton during an August interview with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.
During the interview, which came the month after the now-infamous July 25 phone call between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that is at the center of the impeachment controversy, Bolton made no mention of any quid pro quo, and said fighting corruption in Ukraine was among America’s top priorities for the country.
Bolton called Trump’s communications with Zelensky “cordial.”
Trump captioned that tweet, “GAME OVER.”
GAME OVER! pic.twitter.com/yvMa6bPqfy
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 29, 2020
Further, Fox News reported that multiple videos have surfaced showing Democrats, including House Intelligence Committee Chairman Rep. Adam Schiff and former president and then-Sen. Barack Obama questioning Bolton’s credibility.
“This is someone who’s likely to exaggerate the dangerous impulses of the president toward belligerence, his proclivity to act without thinking, and his love of conspiracy theories,” Schiff said in a March 2018 interview at the time Bolton was appointed Trump’s national security advisor.
In the interview, Schiff said that having Bolton on board added “another big dose of unreality in the White House.”
At the time of Bolton’s appointment, some Democrats raised policy concerns that echoed Trump’s Wednesday tweets.
“The person who will be first in first out of the Oval Office on national security matters passionately believes the U.S. should launch pre-emptive war against both Iran and North Korea with no authorization from Congress,” Sen. Christopher Murphy of Connecticut said then, according to The New York Times. “My God,” he added.
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