Former national security adviser John Bolton resigned from his position this week after President Trump suggested relieving some sanctions on Iran, a source close to Bolton told Axios.
According to the outlet, Bolton “did not favor giving the Iranians relief and believed the maximum pressure campaign was working.” Therefore, he submitted his resignation following Trump’s recommendation. After news of his departure broke, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani “signaled approval.”
President Trump announced on Tuesday that he was firing Bolton from his role in the administration after a Monday conversation they had about Iran. At the time, the president indicated that he “disagreed strongly with many of his suggestions.” Bolton, however, later claimed he had offered Trump his resignation the night before.
Social media erupted with both criticism and praise after Bolton’s exit. Utah Sen. Mitt Romney, for example, said he is “very, very unhappy to hear that he is leaving.” Meanwhile, Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul celebrated the news, calling it a “necessary action.”
Bolton was the 27th national security adviser to the United States, serving from April 2018 until his departure this week.
