The Speaker
Friday, 29 March 2024 – 07:00

Bolton out as National Security Advisor

US President Donald Trump has announced on Twitter that John Bolton, his third National Security Advisor, resigned on Tuesday. Trump tweeted that he “informed John Bolton last night that his services are no longer needed at the White House.”
 
Trump stated that he ‘disagreed with many of his (Bolton’s) suggestions’ and asked for Bolton’s resignation. Bolton, who was appointed to the role in April 2018, has contradicted the president’s claims by tweeting: ‘I offered to resign last night and President Trump said, “Let’s talk about it tomorrow.”’ Bolton also contacted Washington Post journalist Robert Costa to say that “I will have my say in due course” and “my sole concern is US national security”.
 
Bolton had previously served as US Ambassador to the UN, despite being a staunch critic of the international organisation. He has also criticised the EU and been in favour of Brexit.
 
Viewed as an ‘ultra-hawk’, Bolton has repeatedly advocated for stronger US intervention in countries such as Iran, Iraq and North Korea. Tensions between Trump and Bolton were rumoured to be at their highest after it was announced that Trump had sought secret peace talks with the Taliban in a bid to eventually remove US troops from Afghanistan. Bolton is believed to have been staunchly against any peace treaty with the Taliban.
 
The departure of another high level official in the Trump administration is not new, as there have been several firings and resignations that have happened over the course of Trumps tenure so far, from cabinet secretaries, to an attorney general, press secretaries and two chief’s of staff
 
In 2017, Bolton had stated that the ‘only diplomatic option’ was to end the regime in North Korea and let the South take over. Moreover, in a New York Times article headlined ‘To Stop Iran’s Bomb, Bomb Iran’, Bolton pushed for pre-emptive bombing of Iran.
 
Cracks appeared in the Trump/Bolton relationship in May 2019 when Trump contradicted his National Security Advisor’s claims that North Korean missile launches contravened UN resolutions. Trump tweeted that the 9th May launches ‘disturbed some of my people, and others, but not me.’
 
Trump thanked Bolton for his service and has said he will announce a new National Security Advisor next week.
 
 
Edited by Sam Haut
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