'I Will Have My Say in Due Course': Bolton Responds to Ouster as Head of National Security

After 17 months as National Security Advisor, John Bolton's departure was as contentious as his service, publicly disputing the president's account of his exit from the administration.

The announcement came in a tweet from President Trump Tuesday morning.

"I informed John Bolton last night that his services are no longer needed at the White House," he tweeted.  "I disagreed strongly with many of his suggestions, as did others in the administration."

....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

Bolton fired back within minutes, tweeting that he wasn't fired but offered to resign and the president said let's talk tomorrow.

I offered to resign last night and President Trump said, "Let's talk about it tomorrow."

— John Bolton (@AmbJohnBolton) September 10, 2019

Later Bolton told a Washington Post reporter, "I will have my say in due course. But I have given you the facts on the resignation. My sole concern is US national security."

It's the latest and last in a long series of disagreements between the President and his former national security adviser.

Bolton and Trump didn't see eye to eye on many foreign policy initiatives, with Bolton taking a harder line on issues like North Korea, Venezuela and Iran. 

On CBN's Faith Nation program, CBN News Chief Political Correspondent David Brody said the President and Bolton were an unlikely team.

"The truth of the matter is, I could really never understand why did John Bolton take the job to begin with," said Brody. "He is a hawk. He is an Interventionist. Some called him a Warmonger. Even Donald Trump called him a Warmonger. Donald Trump is an Isolationist. Doesn't want to get involved in all that, so it really seemed like a mismatch from the very beginning."        

The final straw was Bolton's opposition to having the Taliban at Camp David as part of the Afghan peace negotiations.

Lawmakers expressed their reaction to Bolton's abrupt departure.

"I like John Bolton," said Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC).  "I think he sees the world for what it is. I've always had a similar view of the threats that we face. But the personal relationship between the president and the national security adviser is important, I think the view that there's some public discussions about Bolton being on the other side of meeting with the Taliban probably was a bridge too far."

The Washington Post reported that an angry Oval Office meeting on Monday led to the President's decision.

"The president's entitled to the staff he wants, at any moment," said Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

It is the latest in a long series of changes in the Trump administration. Pompeo said he wasn't shocked by the news about Bolton.

"I'm never surprised and I don't mean just on this issue," Pompeo said during a press conference Tuesday afternoon.

Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE) said he wants more information on why Bolton left and its impact on national security.
  
"I think there's a lot we need to know about what caused this abrupt 'firing by tweet' of the president's national security adviser, what the policy differences were, and what this means about stability," questioned Coons.

Meanwhile, Charles Kupperman, the Deputy National Security Adviser will fill Bolton's role on an acting basis.  President Trump says he'll announce his permanent pick for the job next week.