John Bolton is out. It’s no secret the hawkish national security adviser often butted heads with President Trump, and the result was his sudden departure from the White House last night.
I informed John Bolton last night that his services are no longer needed at the White House. I disagreed strongly with many of his suggestions, as did others in the Administration, and therefore….
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 10, 2019
But don’t expect Bolton to go quietly. Unlike other former administration officials, Bolton’s personal loyalty to the president is already wearing thin.
I offered to resign last night and President Trump said, “Let’s talk about it tomorrow.”
— John Bolton (@AmbJohnBolton) September 10, 2019
Trump tells a much different story. The president claimed he fired Bolton after a sharp disagreement over a planned meeting with Taliban leaders at Camp David, according to CNN. Trump canceled the meeting, but that was not enough for Bolton. And he’s not going to let Trump have the last word.
In a text message to the Washington Post’s Robert Costa, Bolton said, “Let’s be clear, I resigned, having offered to do so last night.”
Ambassador Bolton to me just now: “I will have my say in due course. But I have given you the facts on the resignation. My sole concern is US national security.”
— Robert Costa (@costareports) September 10, 2019
If we know one thing about Bolton, it’s that he’s not one to shy away from conflict — in any of its forms. He’s effective, savvy, and dangerously unafraid to start a public fight. This won’t be the last we hear from him — not for a long while yet.
