John Bolton Tells CNN Pete Hegseth Should ‘Resign For His Own Safety’s Sake’

President Donald Trump’s former national security advisor turned sharp critic, John Bolton, told CNN on Tuesday he believes Pete Hegseth should resign as defense secretary – for his “own safety’s sake.”

“Do you believe Hegseth should still be on the job?” anchor Pamela Brown asked Bolton after discussing Hegseth’s many recent scandals.

“No, I think he should resign for his own safety’s sake, if nothing else,” replied Bolton, adding:

This is a critical time for the American military. We understand the Trump administration will rightly propose enormous budget increases for defense. We need it. We need a secretary who can get the job done, not somebody who spends his time on Signal chat groups.

“And just as someone who is a national security expert, the fact that it was happening on his personal cell phone, how much does that concern you, knowing that foreign adversaries often target top-level national security officials to get into their phones and put in spyware?” Brown followed up.

“Yeah, I almost never used my personal phone when I was a national security advisor. I mean, the breaches of security at risk in this conduct are enormous. And I think that’s one reason why he shouldn’t be in the job,” Bolton replied.

Hegseth has been under fire for weeks for having taken part in two separate group chats on Signal about bombing Yemen – including a chat that included his wife. Bolton has long faced threats from foreign countries, including a plot against him by Iran.

Watch the clip above via CNN.