Bolton claims revoked protection part of Trump’s ‘retribution campaign’
Former national security adviser John Bolton claimed during an interview that the decision to revoke Secret Service protection is part of President Trump’s “retribution campaign” against his current critics.
“I think this kind of attitude by Trump shows that what his real motivation was entirely political,” Bolton said during his Friday appearance on NewsNation. "This is part of the retribution campaign."
Bolton, a long-time Iran hawk, had his security detail pulled earlier this week. After getting fired by Trump in 2019, he lost his protection. Former President Biden reinstated and extended it in 2021 since Bolton has been a target for Iran.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) charged an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) member over his taking part in a murder-for-hire plot against Bolton in 2022.
This week, Trump also revoked security for his former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and his top aide, Brian Hook, both of whom have had a hawkish stance toward the Islamic Republic.
Bolton, a vocal critic of Trump since leaving the administration, said on Friday the issue for Pompeo, himself and other U.S. officials is that they are “caught up in the in the Iranian effort to get their revenge” for the 2020 assassination of General Qassem Soleimani, which was ordered under the Trump administration.
Trump elaborated on Tuesday on why he pulled Bolton’s security detail.
“I think there was enough time. We take a job, you take a job, you want to do a job, we’re not going to have security on people for the rest of their lives,” Trump said. “Why should we?”
Bolton stated on NewsNation that Biden’s decision to extend his protection was not because of his political viewpoints or how much money he made in various foreign policy roles, but because of consistent threats from Iran.
“But it was, it was ordered on the basis that the reason the Iranians were threatening to and not just threatening — trying to hire hitmen to assassinate me was the carrying out of my official responsibilities as National Security Advisor, “ Bolton said.
“I don't think anybody's entitled to anything, but it's certainly very reasonable for the government to protect people who have operated on behalf of the government against the brutal terrorist foreign regimes like Iran," he added on Friday.
NewsNation is owned by Nexstar Media Group which also owns The Hill.