Ex-National Security Adviser John Bolton says he has helped plan foreign coups d'état


Former National Security Adviser John Bolton seemingly admitted to helping plan international coups d'état during a Tuesday interview with CNN, multiple outlets have reported.
Speaking with Jake Tapper — who, on the topic of Jan. 6, said, "One doesn't have to be brilliant to attempt a coup" — Bolton replied, "I disagree with that. As somebody who has helped plan coups d'état, not here, but other places, it takes a lot of work."
Earlier, Bolton had said that it is a "mistake" to believe the Capitol riot was a "carefully planned coup d'état" by former President Donald Trump.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
"That's not the way Donald Trump does things," Bolton told Tapper. The ex-official condemned Trump's claims of election fraud, but said he did not think the former president's actions amounted to "an attack on our democracy."
"It's Donald Trump looking out for Donald Trump. It's a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence," he said.
Tapper later pressed Bolton on his reported coup experience, and inquired as to whether such efforts were successful. Bolton then referenced his memoir, in which he discussed how the United States supported an ultimately failed attempt at overthrowing Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in 2019, The Washington Post summarizes.
"Not that we had all that much to do with it," Bolton said, "but I saw what it took for an opposition to try and overturn an illegally elected president, and they failed."
"I feel like there's other stuff you're not telling me," Tapper said, to which Bolton replied, "I'm sure there is."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brigid Kennedy worked at The Week from 2021 to 2023 as a staff writer, junior editor and then story editor, with an interest in U.S. politics, the economy and the music industry.
-
Does depopulation threaten humanity?
Talking Points Falling birth rates could create a 'smaller, sadder, poorer future'
-
New White House guidance means federal employees could be hearing more religious talk at work
The Explainer Employees can now try to persuade co-workers of why their religion is 'correct'
-
Real-life couples creating real-deal sparks in the best movies to star IRL partners
The Week Recommends The chemistry between off-screen items can work wonders
-
Judge halts GOP defunding of Planned Parenthood
Speed Read The Trump administration can't withhold Medicaid funds from Planned Parenthood, said the ruling
-
Trump contradicts Israel, says 'starvation' in Gaza
Speed Read The president suggests Israel could be doing more to alleviate the suffering of Palestinians
-
Trump executive order targets homeless
Speed Read It will now be easier for states and cities to remove homeless people from the streets
-
Columbia pays $200M to settle with White House
Speed Read The Trump administration accused the school of failing to protect its Jewish students amid pro-Palestinian protests
-
Florida judge and DOJ make Epstein trouble for Trump
Speed Read The Trump administration's request to release grand jury transcripts from the Epstein investigation was denied
-
Trump attacks Obama as Epstein furor mounts
Speed Read The Trump administration accused the Obama administration of 'treasonous' behavior during the 2016 election
-
Trump administration releases MLK files
Speed Read Newly released documents on the 1968 assassination of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. did not hold any new revelations, King historians said
-
Japan's prime minister feels pressure after election losses
Speed Read Shigeru Ishiba has vowed to remain in office