A lifelong Republican, former National Security Adviser John Bolton won't vote for President Trump in November, telling Britain's Telegraph newspaper that Trump does not represent the Republican Party.
"In 2016 I voted for Trump over Hillary Clinton," Bolton told the Telegraph. "Now, having seen this president up close, I cannot do this again. My concern is for the country, and he does not represent the Republican cause that I want to back."
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.
Bolton served as Trump's national security adviser from April 2018 to September 2019, a stint he writes about in his forthcoming memoir, The Room Where It Happened. The Trump administration tried to block the book's release, but a judge on Saturday ruled against "a nationwide seizure and destruction of a political memoir."
Reporters who have read the book say Bolton claims Trump begged Chinese President Xi Jinping to help him win re-election, approved of China building Uighur concentration camps, and called journalists "scumbugs" who should "be executed." Catherine Garcia
UPDATE: The Telegraph reported that Bolton was voting for Biden, and an earlier version of this article cited that report, but Bolton spokeswoman Sarah Tinsley later clarified that Bolton "never said he planned to vote for Joe Biden." This article has been updated accordingly. We apologize for the confusion.
-
Can Mike Johnson keep his job?Today's Big Question GOP women come after the House leader
-
A postapocalyptic trip to Sin City, a peek inside Taylor Swift’s “Eras” tour, and an explicit hockey romance in December TVthe week recommends This month’s new television releases include ‘Fallout,’ ‘Taylor Swift: The End Of An Era’ and ‘Heated Rivalry’
-
‘These accounts clearly are designed as a capitalist alternative’Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Trump tightens restrictions for work visasSpeed Read The length of work permits for asylum seekers and refugees has been shortened from five years to 18 months
-
Supreme Court revives Texas GOP gerrymanderSpeed Read Texas Republicans can use the congressional map they approved in August at President Donald Trump’s behest
-
Boat strike footage rattles some lawmakersSpeed Read ‘Disturbing’ footage of the Sept. 2 attack on an alleged drug-trafficking boat also shows the second strike that killed two survivors who were clinging to the wreckage
-
Trump boosts gas cars in fuel economy rollbackspeed read Watering down fuel efficiency standards is another blow to former President Biden’s effort to boost electric vehicles
-
Hegseth’s Signal chat put troops in peril, probe findsSpeed Read The defense secretary risked the lives of military personnel and violated Pentagon rules, says new report
-
Trump pardons Texas Democratic congressmanspeed read Rep. Henry Cuellar was charged with accepting foreign bribes tied to Azerbaijan and Mexico
-
GOP wins tight House race in red Tennessee districtSpeed Read Republicans maintained their advantage in the House
-
Trump targets ‘garbage’ Somalis ahead of ICE raidsSpeed Read The Department of Homeland Security will launch an immigration operation targeting Somali immigrants in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area
