White House: Bolton and President Trump Had Many Disagreements

White House Deputy Press Secretary Hogan Gidley told reporters Tuesday afternoon major differences on policy led to the firing of National Security Advisor John Bolton.

“There is no one issue here,” Gidley told the press pool. “They just didn’t align on many issues.”

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin were at the White House shortly after the Bolton news broke to brief reporters about new terrorism sanctions. They received a barrage of questions about Bolton’s departure.

“The president is entitled to the staff that he wants at any moment. This is a staff person who works directly for the President of the United States and he should have people that he trusts and values and whose efforts and judgments benefit him in delivering American foreign policy,” Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said during a briefing at the White House. “When a president makes a decision like this he’s well within his rights to do so.” 

“There were many times when Ambassador Bolton and I disagreed to be sure, but that’s true with lots of people with whom I interact,” he continued.

“The president’s view of the Iraq war and Ambassador Bolton’s was very different and he’s made that clear,” Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said.

On Iran, Mnuchin said he, Pompeo and the president are committed to the maximum pressure campaign against the regime despite Bolton’s departure.

“I think President Trump, I’ve watched his campaign, I’ve worked with him first as CIA Director and now as Secretary of State, someone asked if the policy would be different absent any individual being here. These have been the president’s policies. We give him our best wisdom, we share with him our understanding. When I was Intelligence Director we did our best to make sure he had the facts and data available so he could make good decisions but I don’t think any leader around the world should make the assumption that because one of us departs, the president’s foreign policy will change in any material way,” Pompeo continued.  

President Trump will name a new National Security Advisor next week.