Posted on 06/21/2020 9:22:26 AM PDT by RandFan
President Trump called Rand Paul an expletive in 2018 while fuming that he would’ve tapped John Bolton as his second secretary of state if it wasn’t for the bull-headed Republican senator, according to the former national security adviser’s new book.
Bolton’s bombshell of a memoir, “The Room Where It Happened,” recounts that Trump raised his scorn for Paul during a March 2018 Oval Office meeting while musing about wanting to fire then-Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.
“I’d love to have you over there,” Trump told Bolton, according to the book, a copy of which was obtained by the Daily News ahead of its June 23 publication.
But, the president continued, “That son of a b---h Rand Paul will vote against you.”
“And McConnell is worried he may persuade other Republicans, who need his vote on judges and other things,” Trump said, referring to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.).
Bolton had at the time yet to join the administration and was shopping for senior diplomatic or national security posts.
In the same Oval Office sit-down, Bolton pointed out to Trump he was also interested in the national security adviser position, which does not require Senate confirmation.
“So I don’t have to worry about those clowns up there?” Trump said, referring to Senate Republicans, according to the book.
“Right,” Bolton responded.
About a month later, Trump hired Bolton as national security adviser.
Paul, a hardened conservative with an isolationist streak, is known to not be a fan of Bolton, who favors a more hawkish approach to foreign policy.
The White House declined to comment on Friday.
Doug Stafford, a senior adviser to Paul, didn’t answer questions about Trump’s slight, but confirmed that the Kentucky senator would’ve voted down a hypothetical Bolton nomination for secretary of state.
“Hell yes Senator Paul would have blocked a nomination of warmonger Bolton,” Stafford told The News.
After being hired as national security adviser, Bolton writes in his book that he learned Paul privately called him “the worst f--king decision” Trump had made.
Daily News is concern trolling and snickering the whole time. The Left has always hated Bolton. They hated when he walked out on the beloved United Nations.
yeah he was mad at rand paul at first, but now he is trump’s greatest ally. Along with ted Cruz, who he had a brutal primary fight with
Would you want to be in a fox hole with Rand? Where’s his opinions on Antifa and BLM.
If true, thank you to Rand Paul.
I doubt that President Trump really wanted the warmonger as Secretary of State.
Albuquerque
I’m sorry, what’s the issue? That President Trump has a potty mouth sometimes? The facts seem to bear themselves out. Paul would’ve blocked Bolton’s nomination.
Well if this is the case, Trump certainly now knows that Rand Paul would have been correct.
Rand Paul protected Trump from making a very bad decision.
I’m surprised you would say that given that Bolton’s a Natural Born Citizen.
The point is Trump was wrong to have hired Bolton and Rand Paul knew it would end badly...
When will people understand how office politics work. This doesn’t mean PDJT actually wanted Bolton as SOS, he just conveniently used Paul as an excuse not to nominate him. But Bolton is such a narcissist, he thinks he is the best thing since sliced bread.
Rand Paul was right.
Oh. And Bolton admits it in his book? Interesting.
I’m surprised Donald Trump apparently never figured out that the guy who runs around begging for a leadership position is almost always the last person you’d ever want in that role.
That could be a campaign slogan...
Henry Kissinger was Secretary of State, it does not require a natural born citizen.
Only the office of President does and we saw how disastrous it is when it isn’t followed.
Could it be that Bolton is attempting to stir up trouble between Trump and Paul?
Sometimes people say untrue things to someone to make them feel better. For all we know, Trump may have told Paul “I told Bolton you were the son of a bitch who wouldn’t let him be secretary of state so he would stop naggin me about it. Don’t be surprised if you get the cold shoulder from him”.
How do we know Bolton is not lying?
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