Peter Navarro, a trade adviser for Trump, criticized former national security adviser John Bolton on Tuesday, alleging he “takes America’s secrets” following an FBI raid on Bolton’s home as part of a probe into classified documents.
Navarro, who worked alongside Bolton, characterized him as unpredictable, claiming he often leaned towards military interventions instead of diplomatic solutions. He referred to Bolton as a “loose cannon” and expressed disapproval of Bolton’s reactions to military actions and regime change attempts.
Bolton, who authored a book titled “The Room Where It Happened,” reportedly received a significant advance for documenting his experiences in the Trump administration. After serving as national security adviser in 2018, he clashed with Trump and ultimately resigned in 2019.
Following the FBI search, Navarro accused Bolton of leaking sensitive information regarding Oval Office discussions, which he stated should remain confidential, either by law or due to security privileges. He went on to criticize Bolton, asserting that his actions were not in line with patriotism but rather self-serving.
Navarro detailed concerns about Bolton potentially disclosing critical strategies related to Venezuela, emphasizing that such information shouldn’t be made public.
He warned that if evidence substantiates Bolton’s misconduct, it could equate to a serious violation of U.S. laws regarding national defense information. After the comments, Navarro even suggested that Bolton would regret his actions if they resulted in legal consequences.
A spokesperson for Bolton has been contacted for commentary. Interestingly, Democrats have long been critical of Bolton, but they seemed to shift their stance when they needed a supporter during Trump’s presidency.
Navarro previously spent four months in prison after being convicted for contempt related to the January 6 Capitol attack investigation. The FBI conducted a surprise search of Bolton’s properties on a recent Friday.
Moreover, when Bolton initially refused to testify during the Trump impeachment trials, Democrats accused him of delaying revelations for his memoir. In 2020, a judge expressed concern that Bolton might have jeopardized national security by disclosing classified information without proper review.
Bolton had submitted a manuscript for national security evaluation, but when his review wasn’t completed promptly, he opted to publish the work without waiting for the findings. Although the judge allowed the book to be released, excerpts had already circulated widely prior to its official launch.
