Former national security adviser John Bolton has described Marco Rubio’s new dual position as Secretary of State and national security adviser as “absolutely strange.” In an interview, he expressed concern that this arrangement could potentially reflect poorly on President Trump.
Bolton noted that the White House is expected to announce new successors soon, pointing out that the absence of ready candidates showcases a lack of preparedness for Rubio’s new role.
On Thursday, Trump reshaped his national security team, replacing former House GOP representative Mike Waltz as national security adviser and assigning him the role of ambassador to the United Nations, pending Senate confirmation.
In Trump’s announcement on Thursday evening, he indicated that Rubio would tentatively assume Waltz’s former position.
This makes Rubio the first individual since Henry Kissinger to hold both the country’s top diplomatic and national security positions simultaneously.
Bolton criticized Trump for lacking a coherent strategy in revamping the leadership team. He raised the question of why Waltz was initially hired if his performance was deemed unsatisfactory.
According to Bolton, Trump brought Waltz on board in hopes of securing loyalty. He elaborated that when Waltz inadvertently shared sensitive information about an upcoming airstrike on Yemen’s Houthi rebels in a group chat with national security officials and Atlantic editors, it became a point of contention that likely led to his departure.
Bolton concluded that the lack of loyalty was ultimately what prompted the change. Reports indicate that Rubio will hold this dual role for at least six months.
