Former US national security adviser John Bolton on Monday said anyone concerned with the Middle East should be worried about US President Donald Trump winning a second term in office, adding that the next few months are the optimal time for Israel to act in its own national security interests.
Bolton told Israel’s Army Radio he believed Trump’s decision to withdraw from the landmark nuclear deal in 2018 was made for a domestic audience, which is why Israel should be concerned about what could happen in a potential second term when he is no longer seeking reelection.
“[Trump] is motivated much more by domestic American politics which is why if it turns out he is reelected in November, we don’t know what he is going to do once he is freed from electoral constraints,” Bolton said. “Which is why anyone who is concerned about what happens the Middle East should worry about what happens in a second term.”
When asked whether Trump’s potential reelection would be a blessing for Israel or put the country in danger, Bolton said he didn’t think that either Trump or Democratic challenger Joe Biden would be good for Israel.
In this file photo taken on April 9, 2018, US President Donald Trump shakes hands with National Security Adviser John Bolton during a meeting with senior military leaders at the White House. (AFP Photo/Nicholas Kamm)
“I think the next few months are an optimal time for Israel to act in its own national security interests,” Bolton said, also noting he believed there was “zero chance” Trump would withdraw from the US election before November. READ MORE
