This post has been updated.
President Trump has fired National Security Adviser John Bolton, the President announced on Twitter Tuesday morning.
“I informed John Bolton last night that his services are no longer needed at the White House,” Trump tweeted. “I disagreed strongly with many of his suggestions, as did others in the Administration, and therefore I asked John for his resignation, which was given to me this morning.”
….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.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 10, 2019
A few minutes later, Bolton stated that he had offered to resign the night before.
I offered to resign last night and President Trump said, "Let's talk about it tomorrow."
— John Bolton (@AmbJohnBolton) September 10, 2019
He reportedly emphasized to Washington Post reporter Robert Costa that he had resigned by his own volition, not at Trump’s request.
Ambassador Bolton sends me a text message just now: “Let’s be clear, I resigned, having offered to do so last night.”
— Robert Costa (@costareports) September 10, 2019
Before Trump’s announcement, Bolton was scheduled to hold a press briefing with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin on Tuesday afternoon.
The cracks in Trump’s relationship with his now-former national security adviser began to show several months ago, when the President grew irritated with Bolton’s hawkish proposals regarding Iran. Additionally, Trump pointedly chose to bring Fox News host Tucker Carlson to his historic June trip to North Korea instead of Bolton.
A pro-war hardliner who frequently argued against the Iran nuclear deal, Bolton previously served as ambassador to the United Nations under the George W. Bush administration. He also made a handsome salary of $569,423 as a Fox News contributor before Trump tapped him as national security adviser in April 2018 after H.R McMaster resigned from the position.
Ironically, NBC News reported on Tuesday that Trump had begun calling McMaster last fall for advice even after sacking the retired Army lieutenant.
