EU-Bashing, Brexit-Promoting John Bolton Axed by Trump as National Security Adviser

EU-Bashing, Brexit-Promoting John Bolton Axed by Trump as National Security Adviser

John Bolton, the third National Security Adviser to US President Donald Trump, who often bashed the EU and shamelessly promoted a no-deal Brexit from the UK, no longer holds the job.

Bolton was axed by Trump on Tuesday, according to the US President, although he himself maintained that he had quit on his own.

While disagreements between the two on crucial topics in the American foreign policy are said to be the cause of the rift, Bolton and Trump always saw eye to eye on the EU – both have been highly bashful of the European Union, whether justifiably or not, and both have been bluntly urging the UK to leave, and to do so without a Brexit deal.

“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,” US President Donald Trump tweeted.

Having held the post since April 2018, Bolton is Trump’s longest serving National Security Adviser so far, after Michael Flynn and H.R. McMaster.

“I offered to resign last night and President Trump said, “Let’s talk about it tomorrow.”’ Bolton himself tweeted after Trump’s announcement.

He texted a Fox News host live on TV to insist he had resigned as national security adviser.

He also texted Washington Post reporter Robert Costa to say, “I will have my say in due course” and “My sole concern is US national security”.

The dismissal came as a surprise since just two hours before his departure was announced, Mr Bolton had been due to host a White House briefing with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.

Trump’s new acting National Security Adviser will be Charles Kupperman, who was a deputy to Mr Bolton, the White House said, as cited by the BBC.

According to its sources, the National Security Council, which advises the US President, had become a separate entity within the White House under Bolton.

“[Bolton] operates separately from the rest of the White House,” said a former senior Trump administration official, who wished to remain anonymous, adding that Bolton did not attend meetings and followed his own initiatives.

A former senior administration official told CBS Mr Bolton’s “his way or the highway” approach had infuriated many people inside the White House, including the President.

Before Bolton’s firing, Trump reportedly approached his predecessor, HR McMaster, telling him he missed him and his advice, NBC News reports.

Bolton has been deemed a foreign policy hawk, designing Trump’s hardline stance on Iran, and insisting on America being much tougher on Russia, North Korea, and Afghanistan.

(Banner image: John Bolton on Twitter)

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