WASHINGTON D.C.: US President Donald Trump on Tuesday forced out John Bolton, his hawkish national security adviser with whom he had significant disagreements on Iran, Afghanistan and a cascade of other global challenges.
The two men offered opposing accounts on Bolton’s less than friendly departure, a leave-taking example of what had been a fractious relationship almost from the start.
“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,” Trump tweeted.
“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,” he added.
Bolton, however, said in a tweet that he had offered his resignation on Monday night and Trump said, “let’s talk about it tomorrow”.
The departure comes at a trying moment for the Trump administration on the world stage, weeks before the United Nations General Assembly and as the president faces pressing decisions on a host of foreign policy issues.
In recent months, tensions have risen between Bolton and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo over influence in the president’s orbit and how to manage the president’s desire to negotiate with some of the world’s most unsavory actors.
Bolton held a press briefing with Pompeo and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin later on Tuesday.
During that briefing, Pompeo said there were definitely policy areas where he had different views from Bolton on how to proceed.
