Senators React to Trump’s Dangerous Appointment of John Bolton as National Security Advisor
Last Updated on February 2, 2021.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT): John Bolton’s poor judgment and record of reckless right-wing warmongering should disqualify him from any White House role, much less National Security Advisor.
Tweet Thread (3/23)
Sen. Tom Carper (D-DE): In 2005, John Bolton was too extreme to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate. Today, we are living in an increasingly fragile world. It’s hard to imagine a more dangerous pick for President Trump’s national security advisor
Tweet (3/22)
Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA): I have serious concerns about the selection of John Bolton as National Security Adviser based upon his record.
Over many years he has shown a troubling predisposition to seek to resolve national security challenges through military conflict, instead of using all of our diplomatic tools first.
Tweet (3/22)
Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE): Ambassador Bolton’s stated positions on today’s major issues, most notably North Korea’s and Iran’s nuclear programs, are overly aggressive at best and downright dangerous at worst.
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY): Use of military force should always be a last resort, not a first choice. John Bolton supported the disastrous invasion of Iraq and has supported proactively bombing Iran. I’m concerned his appointment as National Security Advisor will reinforce this president’s worst instincts.
Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM): General McMaster is a patriot. Putting John Bolton at the helm of our national security apparatus endangers the country.
Tweet (3/22)
Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA): (1/2) This is the new National Security Advisor? Disqualified by horrible judgment and dangerous for America and the world.
(2/2) Just 22 days ago, John Bolton wrote a @WSJ op-ed: “The Legal Case for Striking North Korea First.” “Eliminate” them, he said. Make no mistake: this is a war cheerleader, who’s being welcomed into the WH with open arms. So dangerous.
Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA): (1/2) With the appointments of Mike Pompeo and John Bolton, @realDonaldTrump is successfully lining up his war cabinet. Bolton played a key role in politicizing the intel that misled us into the Iraq War. We cannot let this extreme war hawk blunder us into another terrible conflict.
(2/2) John Bolton supports proactively bombing Iran & striking North Korea with nuclear weapons first without provocation. Appointing him to be Nat Sec Advisor is a grave danger to the American people & a clear message from @realDonaldTrump that he is gearing up for military conflict.
Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ): From his forceful advocacy for the Iraq War (which I proudly voted against), to his reckless approach to foreign policy, John Bolton is far outside the mainstream and I am deeply concerned about the dangerous impact he’ll have on our national security.
Tweet (3/22)
Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR): John Bolton:
Wanted war w Cuba, arguing wrongly that Cuba had WMD
Wanted war w Iraq, arguing – wrong again – that Iraq had WMD
Believes – wrongly – that Islamic law is taking over America
If you’re always wrong on security, you’re the wrong person to be National Security Advisor
Tweet (3/22)
Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT): John Bolton is being picked for the top non-confirmable national security job because a Senate that confirmed DeVos, Zinke, Price, and Pruitt will not confirm Bolton for anything bc he is too extreme. Noodle that for a second.
Tweet (3/22)
Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI): Mr. Bolton does not have the temperament or judgment to be an effective national security advisor. I am concerned he and President Trump will make for a combustible combination.
Tweet (3/22)
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT): John Bolton was part of the effort to mislead the US into the disastrous Iraq war and has supported military action against North Korea and Iran. He was too extreme to be confirmed as UN ambassador in 2005 and is absolutely the wrong person to be national security advisor now.
Tweet (3/22)
Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI): The Iraq War was one of the biggest foreign policy disasters in American history and Bolton still thinks it worked. It is not alarmist to be freaked out at John Bolton as National Security Advisor. He is aggressively and dangerously wrong on Iran and North Korea.
Tweet (3/22)
Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY): Mr. Bolton’s tendency to try to solve every geopolitical problem w/ the American military first is a troubling one. I hope he will temper his instinct to commit our armed forces to conflicts around the globe, when we need to be focused on building the middle class here at home.
Tweet (3/22)
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH): With the myriad of complex threats facing our country, the President needs sound, reasonable counsel. That’s not John Bolton. He has a very troubling record & I fear he’ll further undermine diplomatic efforts by prioritizing military engagement.
Tweet (3/22)
Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD): Trump appointed Bolton—a man with a history of warmongering—to the most critical national security job in the WH. He was a cheerleader for the 2003 war in Iraq, has supported bombing Iran, preemptively striking NK, and going to war with Cuba. America does not want another war.
Tweet (3/22)
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA): .@realDonaldTrump promised to reduce US involvement in wars overseas, but his new National Security Advisor has never met a war he didn’t like. The last thing we need is someone like John Bolton who embraces military solutions first and puts us all at risk.
Tweet (3/23)
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI): Another analysis of what nutty John Bolton means. Nymag: “Nobody is Left to Save the World From Trump Now”
Tweet (3/22)
March 23, 2018