President Donald Trump has revoked the Secret Service protection for his former national security advisor, John Bolton, within hours of taking office for his second term. Bolton received a call from a Secret Service official on Monday evening, less than 12 hours after Trump’s inauguration, informing him that the president wanted to terminate his security detail. Bolton expressed disappointment but not surprise at Trump’s decision.
He acknowledged that despite his criticisms of President Biden’s national security policies, Biden had extended Secret Service protection to him in 2021. The Justice Department had filed criminal charges against an Iranian Revolutionary Guard official in 2022 for attempting to hire a hitman to target Bolton. That threat remains today, as demonstrated by the recent arrest of someone trying to arrange for President Trump’s own assassination,” Bolton stated.
Security detail revoked for Bolton
“The American people can judge for themselves which president made the right call.”
A spokesman for the Secret Service said the agency does not comment on or confirm information about its protective efforts. The White House did not respond to a request for comment.
The decision to revoke Bolton’s Secret Service protection comes amidst ongoing tensions between the former national security advisor and President Trump. Bolton served in the role from April 2018 to September 2019 before being fired by Trump due to disagreements over foreign policy and national security matters. Critics argue that the move could expose Bolton to unnecessary risks, potentially as a form of retribution for past criticisms and his book detailing his time in the Trump administration.
The implications of this decision for former high-ranking government officials and the precedents it sets for future administrations remain to be seen.
