Bolton Criticizes Trump’s Conduct, Alleges Ripple Effect

Former National Security Adviser John Bolton criticized ex-President Donald Trump‘s conduct, stating it may have triggered an “unfortunate ripple effect” across the bureaucracy.

Bolton, in an interview with CNN, criticized Trump’s approach while responding to allegations that the former president shared classified information with an Australian billionaire.

The initial report from ABC News claimed that Trump discussed U.S. nuclear submarine capabilities with billionaire Anthony Pratt at his Mar-a-Lago club in early 2021, divulging classified details regarding the number of nuclear weapons carried by the submarines.

“I think the President’s example really has an unfortunate ripple effect throughout the bureaucracy and gives rise to a lot of cynicism and a lot of carelessness,” said Bolton. 

Pratt reportedly shared this information with more than a dozen foreign officials, journalists, and some of his employees. The billionaire has been questioned by the FBI and Justice Department prosecutors about the information on at least two occasions.

“A very insightful person said to me during the 2016 campaign that ‘Trump has no filter between his brain and his mouth,'” said Bolton.

“And I think that’s a big part of the problem here, but it displays itself in a lot of different ways,” said Bolton

“There’s the famous story of him being shown a sensitive overhead photograph of a failed missile launch in Iran, which normally we wouldn’t even talk about. But he was so attracted to the photo that he asked to keep it,” said Bolton.

Meanwhile, Trump denied any wrongdoings and called the reports “false and ridiculous.”

“These fake stories are put out by corrupt prosecutors trying to interfere with the Presidential Election of 2024,” he wrote on his social media platform. 

Amid the escalating competition for the Republican nomination, Bolton — who is also considering his own candidacy for the 2024 U.S. presidential election as a Republican contender — has been launching a barrage of accusations against the former president.

He earlier blamed the former president for causing ‘enormous damage’ to the country and the Republican party during his time at the White House. 

Trump remains the most influential figure within his party. Despite his consecutive absences from the debates, the former president maintained a substantial lead over his Republican competitors. According to a RealClearPolitics poll, Trump still leads in the Republican primaries with 57.9% support, while Florida Governor Ron DeSantis trails behind with 12.5% support.

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Edited by Miriam Onyango and Newsdesk Manager