Former U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton doesn't believe either front-runner for the 2024 presidential election is the "correct answer" for America.
"I think we're going to have two candidates, at least it looks that way at this point, neither one of whom is fit to be president," Bolton said while speaking with CNN's Kaitlan Collins Tuesday night, referring to former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden.
Bolton appeared on CNN's The Source to discuss his new memoir foreword released earlier this week, in which he said that Trump, his former boss, was "unfit to be president." When asked by Collins if he believes that the U.S. would be "safer" with Biden for a second term, however, Bolton also offered a critical view of the current president.
"When you're left between two choices, neither of which is satisfactory, there is no correct answer," Bolton said.
The Context
Bolton's comments come as the Biden administration is facing immense pressure following a deadly attack on a U.S. base in Jordan over the weekend that killed three American service members and injured several others. The president said Tuesday that the White House has decided how it plans to react to the assault, which Biden blamed on an Iranian-backed militant group, although details remain unclear.
Trump is building momentum ahead of the November election, raising anxiety about how his second presidency could impact an already volatile global field. Between Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip and the growing tensions between the U.S. and its adversaries, national security will no doubt be a top priority for the next president.
What We Know
Bolton told Collins on Tuesday that the country was "fortunate" that the U.S. did not face any major international crisis, besides the COVID-19 pandemic, during Trump's first term in office, adding that he does not believe the former president is "capable of making decisions grounded in national security."
"His attention span is short, he doesn't know much about world history or world affairs, he actually doesn't think they matter very much," Bolton said of Trump.
"He doesn't have the ability to stay consistent for long periods of time, except on one thing, which is how he looks in the press and in public attention," Bolton continued. "And that is very worrying when you're in a crisis. You need a president who ... can keep his eyes on the prize and worry about our national security, not his own image."
Trump has described Bolton as a "moron" that he "used well" during his first term in office.
Views
Bolton also offered some strong criticism of Biden's administration while speaking with CNN on Tuesday. The former national security adviser described the president's actions as "extraordinarily weak" and said that Biden has put America "more in danger" during his time in office.
"It's not American strength that's provocative, it's American weakness that's provocative," Bolton continued. "That's what we're showing in the Middle East, what we're showing Ukraine, what I worry we're showing in Taiwan."
"Trump, on the other hand, is feckless and close to irrational," Bolton added Tuesday. "So I would like a do-over, if we could get it, of the nomination process in both parties. I'm very worried."
Newsweek reached out to Biden and Trump's campaigns via email for comment late Tuesday night.
Several Republicans have criticized Biden's policies toward the country's adversaries like China and Iran, claiming they are much too passive to deter future aggression.
What's Next?
While it's unclear how Biden plans to respond to the attack in Jordan, many have called for the president to strike inside Iranian territory. The White House has said, however, that Washington is not looking to spark a "wider conflict" in the Middle East.
Bolton said on Tuesday that he believes the U.S. has been in a "wider war" since the Hamas attack of Israel on October 7, 2023, which prompted Israel's devastating military response in the Gaza Strip. The former security adviser also blamed the Iranian government for being behind the Hamas attack and the recent attacks on U.S. forces stationed in the Middle East. Tehran has publicly supported several resistance groups in the region but denies that its government is behind any attacks on the U.S. and its allies.
"What we need to say to Iran is your total scope of conduct is unacceptable," Bolton said. "It is absolutely crossing a red line to kill Americans. And what we should do, but I fear we won't, is cross an Iranian red line and strike targets inside Iran."
Update 1/30/24, 11:06 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information and background.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Kaitlin Lewis is a Newsweek reporter on the Night Team based in Boston, Massachusetts. Her focus is reporting on national ... Read more
To read how Newsweek uses AI as a newsroom tool, Click here.
