Former U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton has delivered a scathing critique of former President Donald Trump, labeling him as “unfit” to hold the highest office in the land.

His denouncement of the former President is in the introduction to a new edition of his memoir, “The Room Where it Happened,” released on Tuesday.

Bolton, who served in the Trump White House from 2018 to 2019, did not mince words in his assessment of the former President.

He characterised Trump as a self-interested individual who would prioritise personal vendettas over national interests and would appease adversaries such as Russia and China.

Potential consequences

In the new foreword to his memoir, Bolton expressed concerns about the potential consequences of a second Trump term.

He warned that if re-elected, Trump might consider leaving the NATO security alliance, reducing support to Ukraine despite Russia’s 2022 invasion, and adopting a more isolationist stance, which could embolden China to take aggressive actions, potentially even blockading Taiwan.

“Trump is unfit to be president,” Bolton asserted in his foreword, adding that a second term would likely be worse than the first.

Bolton also questioned Trump’s commitment to conservative policies, suggesting that his second term might not align with the expectations of the right, especially in the realm of Supreme Court appointments.

Foreign policy

Bolton criticised Trump’s foreign policy decisions, asserting that they had a detrimental impact on national security.

He highlighted the possibility of Trump withdrawing from NATO, which could please Russian President Vladimir Putin, and expressed concerns about the heightened risks in Asia, particularly regarding Taiwan, if Trump were to return to office.

Bolton concluded by remarking that both Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping would welcome Trump’s return to power, making it imperative for the American electorate to carefully consider their choices.

In response, Trump senior advisor Jason Miller accused Bolton of seeking to profit from his relationship with the former President.