On Monday, January 20, immediately following his inauguration, President Donald Trump signed an executive order that revoked the security clearance of former National Security Advisor John Bolton. Shortly thereafter, at the onset of his presidency, Trump also terminated Bolton’s Secret Service protection. Bolton expressed his outrage regarding this decision during an interview with Jake Tapper on CNN.
In defense of his actions, President Trump stated that there is no justification for individuals like Bolton to retain security details indefinitely, deeming it an inefficient use of funds and resources. He remarked, “We’re not going to have security on people for the rest of their lives. Why should we? You can’t have that for life.”
Additionally, Trump criticized Bolton’s intelligence, asserting that many viewed him as a warmonger. He commented, “I thought he was a very dumb person, but I used him well because every time people saw me come into a meeting with John Bolton standing behind me, they thought that he’d attack them because he was a warmonger.”
Bolton, who served as National Security Advisor during Trump’s first term, described the revocation of his security clearance as characteristic of Trump. He stated, somewhat hesitantly, “Well, I’ve had better days, that’s for sure, and this is, uh… I think, uh… typical of Trump the man. This is the kind of character, or lack thereof, who’s now president.”
He further mentioned that President Biden had reinstated his Secret Service protection due to threats from Iran, explaining, “You know, when President Biden… recognizing the threat against me and several other current and former U.S. government officials, authorized the Secret Service to restore protection, which I had when I was National Security Advisor… I’m sure he probably wasn’t the happiest man in the world because of the criticisms that I’ve made of him on his foreign policy.”
Bolton then expressed his concerns about Iran, labeling it a “rogue state,” and continued his commentary on the matter.
Bolton further expressed his discontent regarding the president’s decision, stating, “Trump has chosen to reverse it. While it is clearly within his authority to do so, I believe this is an issue that warrants serious consideration. We must reflect on who made the more prudent choice, President Biden or President Trump.” He can be seen discussing this matter here:
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Bolton lamented Trump’s decision once more, stating, “The threats from Iran against me (and a few others) remain very real and have been corroborated just days ago. By eliminating my Secret Service protection while maintaining it for others, Trump reveals his true intentions.”
Watch:
