On Thursday, after President Trump announced that former U.N. Ambassador John Bolton would be his new national security advisor, Bolton joined Martha MacCallum of Fox News to discuss his new job, asserting that the people who leak information from President Trump’s private conversations were “Munchkins in the executive branch,” and that his understanding of his role is primarily to serve the president, rather than to make him adhere to Bolton’s own perspective.
Speaking of the leakers in the executive branch, Bolton said, “It’s completely unacceptable. You cannot conduct diplomacy, you cannot expect other foreign leaders to be candid and open in their conversations with the president if some Munchkin in the executive branch decides they’re going to leak the talking points of the transcript or any other aspect of it … they should be ashamed of themselves.”
MacCallum asked, “What I’m hearing in that, tell me if I’m wrong, although you are an opinionated outspoken person, if the president does not want the advice that you’re giving him, you will make sure that the White House is presented a united front?”
Bolton replied:
Absolutely. Jim Baker, who taught me an awful lot about politics, about foreign affairs, used to end most discussions about things where clearly, my suggestion wasn’t going anywhere, by saying, “Because, John, the guy that got elected doesn’t want to do it.” I think the rest of the bureaucracy needs to understand as well when the guy who got elected makes a decision, that’s what the Constitution provides. There’s a famous story about Dean Acheson, the Secretary of State in the Truman administration. was asked by a reporter, maybe somebody like you, how is it that Acheson and President Truman had a good working relationship. Acheson said basically because neither the president, nor I, ever forgot who was president.
MaCallum asked, “Let me ask you a more personal question. You’re someone over the years that has entertained the idea of running for president at times. There was discussion that you would be considered as Secretary of State at times during the construction of this administration. So on a personal level, how do you feel about the job that you’ve been offered and what it means for you in your life and your future?”
Bolton answered, “Well, it’s still sinking in. I haven’t thought about it a great deal.”
MacCallum: “But you’ve been thinking about it the past few weeks. I know you made a few visits to the White House the past few weeks and no doubt you’ve had conversations. In terms of the way that you — the impact that you can have on America, on being in the White House, on being that close to the president. I know you feel strongly about this president and his potential — you’ve said you believe he has enormous potential. What can John Bolton bring to the table?”
Bolton: “You’ve said more about my views than I have, which is an interesting observation. But look, you know, the national security advisor, like all of the president’s top advisors, serves at his pleasure. He may be a different kind of president than others, but I think that’s what the people voted for. That’s the role I’ve been asked to take on, that I sought, certainly, and I’m pleased to have accepted it and honored to carry it out. We’ll see what happens.”
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