Bolton criticizes Trump, calls press biased toward left

Coupling his criticism of President Trump with a sharp critique of press campaign coverage, John Bolton, former national security adviser to Trump, told a virtual National Press Club audience Tuesday he will vote for neither Trump nor Joe Biden but rather for a “yet undetermined Republican conservative.”

Bolton was interviewed about his new book, "The Room Where it Happened," by Club President Michael Freedman as part of the Club's Headliner programs.

When Freeedman asked Bolton for his views on press coverage of the campaign, Bolton noted that it’s “perfectly natural for all incumbent administrations” to be critical of the press. And it’s “healthy for a democracy to have a rivalry between the government and the press.

Then he said, “I personally think the press is biased to the left.  It often relies on conventional wisdom … Its attention span is too short… It’s fairly distressing to see a lack of historical perspectives in its reporting.”

 Bolton’s new book described his White House years from 2018 to 2019, when he was Trump’s national security adviser. And much of it was critical of Trump and his administration.

“I am very worried what will happen to the country if he has a second term. We’ve got to get past the Trump era. It will be a struggle. There is no Trumpism. There is no doctrine in foreign policy. There is no philosophy.  It’s personal. It’s idiosyncratic.”

Trump is “unwilling or unable” to acknowledge Russia’s President Putin's interference in the 2016 U.S. election, although Bolton conceded he was “very confident” Trump and Putin did not discuss anything adverse to the interests of the United States.

Trump likes tariffs and focuses on trade (for instance, with China) “making it harder to focus on other issues,” Bolton said.  “He was focused on the Mexican border (wall) to the point of obsession, and still is.”

“Trump is an anomaly. When he leaves the scene his legacy will disappear like water smoothing over. When he disappears his style will disappear. I hope so,” Bolton said.

Several times Bolton said that Trump is responsible for some problems, but not all. 

Bolton said the Trump administration “can take some of the credit” for the Israeli-United Arab Emirates agreement that he said “reflects the changing reality in that area and is in the best interests of the United States.”

Noting Belarus’ border with Russia, the Ukraine and Poland, the United States should pursue two objectives – keep Putin away from getting involved, and support the counter-revolution aimed at the long-term dictator, Bolton said.

Bolton offered condolences to the parents of Austin Tice, the journalist who has been a hostage for Syria for eight years.

“When Americans are taken, it’s a direct affront to us,” he said, then warned that it’s not a reason to up the price for other hostages by sending the message “we will pay any price.”

 In concluding the one-hour session, Freedman asked Bolton, a one-time temporary postal worker as a student, who got his start in politics passing out campaign material for Barry Goldwater, to describe Trump's recent predecessors.

Ronald Reagan was “the most inspiring.”  George H. W. Bush was the “consummate international statesman.” George W. Bush, whom Bolton served as U.N. ambassador, did “a fantastic job to make America stronger.”

As for his personal relationship with Trump, “He can be gracious when he wants to be,” Bolton said tersely.

Freedman presented Bolton with the traditional Press Club mug, but then with the virtual reality in mind, said he would send it to Bolton..