Donald Trump announced on Twitter that he fired National Security Adviser John Bolton. With past firings or resignations, Trump has often wished people well. This time he didn’t try to hide his disdain. He tweeted:
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….I asked John for his resignation, which was given to me this morning. I thank John very much for his service. I will be naming a new National Security Advisor next week.
It looks like this came as news to Bolton. An hour before the “firing” he tweeted as if it was business as usual. Then right after Trump’s tweet, he wrote this…
The final straw was apparently Bolton’s stance on Trump’s planned (and later canceled) Taliban meeting. Bolton reportedly disagreed with Trump hosting the terrorists at Camp David.
Bolton was Trump’s third National Security Adviser. He has held the position since April 2018.
The rift between the president and his national security adviser owed as much to personality as to policy. The president never warmed to him, a dynamic that is often fatal in this White House. Mr. Bolton also clashed with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
At its core, the schism reflected a deep-seated philosophical difference that has characterized the Trump presidency. While given to bellicose language, Mr. Trump came to office deeply skeptical of overseas military adventures and promising negotiations to resolve volatile conflicts. Mr. Bolton, however, has been one of Washington’s most outspoken hawks and unapologetic advocates of American power to defend the country’s interests.
