Bolton Out as National Security Adviser
John Bolton was fired from his position as President Trump’s national security adviser on Sept. 9th, 2019. Bolton was the President’s third national security adviser and in only three years in office. Reports have said Bolton’s removal was due to disagreements with the President on how to approach Iran, North Korea and Russia.
A notable foreign policy hawk during his time in the federal government, Bolton took hard stances on many of the United States’ foreign policy concerns. He advocated to keep the pressure on North Korea and is reported by U.S. officials to have foiled the most recent meeting of President Trump and North Korean Leader Kim Jong-un by pressing Trump to present Kim with a list of strict demands, which Kim rejected. Bolton is also credited with crafting Trump’s stern approach to Iran as well as promoting a tougher stance on Russia.
In his last few weeks in office, Bolton was largely frozen out of foreign policy decision-making. It appears the final straw was Bolton’s disagreement with the President on how to handle negotiations with Afghanistan and the Taliban. Bolton opposed a peace deal with the Taliban and promoted keeping American troops stationed in Afghanistan. The President, who advocated the removal of U.S. soldiers from Afghanistan during his presidential campaign, was engaged in peace talks with Afghanistan and the Taliban up until Sept. 9th. The President and the Taliban appeared primed to sign a peace deal, with Trump even presenting the idea to invite the Taliban to Camp David just days before the anniversary of the September 11th terror attacks. President Trump has since declared negotiations with the Taliban “dead.”
The President has often joked about Bolton’s hawkish tendencies when introducing him to global leaders saying, “He’ll bomb you. He’ll take out your whole country.” Yet, officials close to Trump said the President grew tired of Bolton’s aggressive policy, ultimately signaling his departure from the White House.
Bolton was previously the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations under President George W. Bush as well as a Fox News commentator. Since being ousted by President Trump, Bolton has resumed his post as the head of two political action committees.
Names being floated to replace Bolton as the President’s national security adviser include Stephen Biegun, U.S. envoy to North Korea, John Sullivan, Deputy Secretary of State, and Richard Grenell, U.S. ambassador to Germany.
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