Trump Blasts Former National Security Advisor John Bolton: ‘Made Some Big Mistakes’

During an Oval Office press spray, President Donald Trump addressed yesterday’s bombshell ousting of now-former National Security Advisor John Bolton. 

Trump announced via Twitter on Tuesday afternoon that he had asked for the embattled Bolton’s resignation, who immediately responded by texting his media contacts that he had not been fired, but instead had resigned instead.

During a press event designed to bring attention to the dangers of e-cigarettes and vaping, Trump took questions about Bolton’s departure. When asked “what led you to decide to part ways with Mr. Bolton?”

The president did not hold back in laying the blame of some foreign policy missteps under the Trump administration at Bolton’s feet, saying  “There have been some big mistakes made.”  He then specifically noted “Take a look at North Korea. He wanted to do things not necessarily tougher than me, but had a good relationship but not getting along with people in the administration. I will skip down.”

Perhaps due to Bolton’s past as a cable news pundit — and the fact that the ousted NSA showed off his media savvy immediately after Trump’s tweet — the president appeared to comment on Bolton in a cautious manner so as to keep the former National Security Advisor’s criticism towards the Trump administration relatively muted.

When asked about the specific tick-tock of Bolton’s ousting, Trump claimed that “John came to see me the night before and I told him, ‘You are not getting along with a lot of people, I’d like you to resign.'”

Later the president said, “John was not in line with everything we are doing, acting as a policeman in Afghanistan, hitting tell of than ever before.” Regarding Bolton’s replacement, Trump added: “a lot of great people want that position.”

This was the first time that Trump had addressed the ousting of John Bolton on camera, which you can watch above via CNN.