Former U.S. national security adviser John Bolton. Bolton's departure has the potential to affect U.S. policy on everything from Iran to arms control.
U.S. President Donald Trump tweeted Sept. 10 that he had informed national security adviser John Bolton that his services were no longer needed. Trump added, "I disagreed strongly with many of his suggestions, as did others in the Administration, and therefore I asked John for his resignation." Bolton's removal raises questions about several foreign policy issues marked by either policy inconsistencies or disagreements among Trump administration officials. The decision to dismiss Bolton comes as Trump is struggling to remove political distractions, avoid military confrontation and demonstrate some foreign policy wins as he heads into the 2020 U.S. presidential race. Bolton's deputy and close ally, Charles Kupperman, will reportedly serve as acting national security adviser until a permanent replacement for Bolton is found.
