‘I Hope It’s Not Suppressed’: Bolton Alludes to Book Details, Trump Criticisms at Event
John Bolton spoke at Duke University tonight and did not go into any sort of detail about his book — reportedly still under pre-publication review — though he alluded to it and hinted at what has to say multiple times.
Reporters in the room at Bolton’s event detailed how cagey Bolton was about sharing details that he apparently lays out in his book, including his thoughts on the infamous Helsinki summit, even jokingly remarking at one point “I hope it’s not suppressed.”
Peter Feaver jokingly asks Bolton if North Korea didn't come up in his job interview with Trump.
Bolton declined to comment on his discussions with Trump about North Korea before joining the administration, saying, “part of this is not part of the pre-publication of my book"— Vivian Salama (@vmsalama) February 17, 2020
.@AmbJohnBolton makes a quick – but significant – quip: “I hope my book is not surpressed.” Comment comes after question about disagreements with @POTUS @realDonaldTrump related to #NorthKorea. Says manuscript under White House review. @ABC11_WTVD @ABC @ABCPolitics
— Jonah Kaplan (@KaplanABC11) February 17, 2020
He also demurred when asked about the president’s tweets.
Bolton on this tweet: "The tweet’s out there. I say things in the manuscript about what he said to me. I hope they become public someday."https://t.co/rxVlG2DdgM
— David A. Graham (@GrahamDavidA) February 17, 2020
At the event, Bolton offered criticisms of the Trump administration on foreign policy, like its approach to North Korea and Iran, but did not go into much detail about his feelings on the president.
Bolton, while discussing potential cyber threats from China against the US, says: "The American president has to be honest with his own people."
AUDIENCE LAUGHS AND BOLTON JOKES:
“See? Another controversial statement!"— Vivian Salama (@vmsalama) February 17, 2020
And on Russia:
Bolton, when asked broadly about the president's Russia policy:
It is “not my intention to reveal any classified information but to tell people what really went on so they can judge for themselves whether it was appropriate.”— Vivian Salama (@vmsalama) February 17, 2020
Bolton, asked what it was like to staff Trump's meeting with Putin in Helsinki in 2018, says: "To pursue the right policies for America, I was willing to put up with a lot."
"I’m not asking for martyrdom," he adds. "I knew, I think I knew, what I was getting into."
— Rebecca Ballhaus (@rebeccaballhaus) February 17, 2020
Feaver: What was it like to staff the meeting in Helsinki:
Bolton: "I could read a chapter form my book here and give you the answer to that question."
Audience groans
— David A. Graham (@GrahamDavidA) February 17, 2020
Ukraine — the subject many wanted him to publicly testify about — did, in fact come up, but again, Bolton only alluded to details, or, um, “sprinkles”:
The auditorium applauds when Duke professor Peter Feaver asks Bolton why he was willing to comply with Senate subpoena but not House subpoena.
— Rebecca Ballhaus (@rebeccaballhaus) February 17, 2020
Bolton: For all the focus on Ukraine & impeachment trial: to me there are portions of the manuscript that deal with Ukraine – I view that as the sprinkles on an ice cream Sunday, in terms of the book.This is an effort to write history…We’ll see what happens with the censorship"
— Vivian Salama (@vmsalama) February 17, 2020
Asked if he agrees with President Trump that his call with Ukrainian President Zelensky was perfect, Bolton replied, simply: “You’ll love Chapter 14.”
— Vivian Salama (@vmsalama) February 17, 2020
There’s been a great deal of frustration at Bolton in the past few months from people criticizing his caginess about his time at the White House.
