WASHINGTON—President Donald Trump has rescinded former national security adviser John Bolton’s Secret Service detail; while Bolton maintains he is under threat from Iran.
“Notwithstanding my criticisms of President Biden’s national-security policies, he nonetheless made the decision to extend that protection to me in 2021.”
Bolton was a critic of the Iranian regime and influenced a hawkish posture toward Iran that included the United States withdrawing in 2018 from the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, known as the Iran nuclear deal.
“The Justice Department filed criminal charges against an Iranian Revolutionary Guard official in 2022 for attempting to hire a hit man to target me,” Bolton said.
“That threat remains today, as also demonstrated by the recent arrest of someone trying to arrange for President Trump’s own assassination. The American people can judge for themselves which president made the right call.”
Trump defended stripping Bolton of his Secret Service detail, saying, “We’re not going to have security on people for the rest of their lives.”
The administration cited Bolton’s book “The Room Where It Happened,” as a reason for stripping him of his clearance. The book describes his experience as national security adviser in the first Trump administration between April 2018 and September 2019.
“The book was rife with sensitive information drawn from his time in government,” stated Trump in his order.
“The memoir’s reckless treatment of sensitive information undermined the ability of future presidents to request and obtain candid advice on matters of national security from their staff,” he continued.
“Publication also created a grave risk that classified material was publicly exposed.”
Bolton’s lawyer said that Bolton obtained verbal clearance from the National Security Council regarding his book.
After being fired from his role, Bolton became highly critical of Trump.
