John Bolton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Bolton
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Bolton in 2023
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| 26th United States National Security Advisor | |
| In office April 9, 2018 – September 10, 2019 |
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| President | Donald Trump |
| Deputy | Nadia Schadlow Ricky L. Waddell Mira Ricardel Charles Kupperman |
| Preceded by | H. R. McMaster |
| Succeeded by | Robert C. O'Brien |
| 25th United States Ambassador to the United Nations | |
| In office August 2, 2005 – December 31, 2006 |
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| President | George W. Bush |
| Preceded by | John Danforth |
| Succeeded by | Zalmay Khalilzad |
| 13th Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Affairs | |
| In office May 11, 2001 – July 31, 2005 |
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| President | George W. Bush |
| Preceded by | John D. Holum |
| Succeeded by | Robert Joseph |
| 18th Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs | |
| In office May 22, 1989 – January 20, 1993 |
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| President | George H. W. Bush |
| Preceded by | Richard S. Williamson |
| Succeeded by | Douglas J. Bennet |
| United States Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Division | |
| In office July 27, 1988 – January 20, 1989 |
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| President | Ronald Reagan |
| Preceded by | Richard K. Willard |
| Succeeded by | Stuart M. Gerson |
| United States Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Legislative Affairs | |
| In office December 12, 1985 – July 27, 1988 |
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| President | Ronald Reagan |
| Preceded by | Robert McConnell |
| Succeeded by | Thomas Boyd |
| Assistant Administrator of USAID for Program and Policy Coordination | |
| In office August 2, 1982 – December 30, 1983 |
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| President | Ronald Reagan |
| Preceded by | Alexander Shakow |
| Succeeded by | Richard Derham |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
John Robert Bolton
November 20, 1948 Baltimore, Maryland, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouses |
Christine Bolton
(m. 1972; div. 1983)Gretchen Smith
(m. 1986) |
| Children | 1 |
| Residences | Bethesda, Maryland, U.S. |
| Education | Yale University (BA, JD) |
| Signature |  |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch/service |  United States Army
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| Years of service | 1970–1976 |
John Robert Bolton (born November 20, 1948) is an American lawyer, diplomat, and political expert. He is a member of the Republican Party. He served as the 25th United States Ambassador to the United Nations from 2005 to 2006. Later, he was the 26th United States National Security Advisor from 2018 to 2019.
Bolton worked for President Ronald Reagan as a U.S. assistant attorney general. He also held roles in the State Department under Presidents George H. W. Bush and George W. Bush. He supported the Iraq War.
He was appointed U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations by President George W. Bush. He later served as National Security Advisor to President Donald Trump. He wrote a book about his time in the Trump administration, called The Room Where It Happened.
Bolton is known for his strong views on foreign policy. He often suggests military action or changing governments in countries like Iran, Syria, and North Korea. He is a conservative and a former commentator for Fox News Channel.
Contents
Early Life and Education
John Bolton was born on November 20, 1948, in Baltimore, Maryland. His mother, Virginia Clara, was a housewife, and his father, Edward Jackson, was a fireman. He grew up in a working-class area.
He earned a scholarship to the McDonogh School and graduated in 1966. He also helped with the Students For Goldwater campaign in 1964.
Bolton went to Yale College and graduated in 1970. He then attended Yale Law School from 1971 to 1974. He earned a law degree in 1974.
Military Service
Bolton supported the Vietnam War. He avoided combat by joining the Maryland Army National Guard in 1970. He served in the National Guard for four years. After that, he was in the United States Army Reserve for two more years.
He once wrote that he had "no desire to die in a Southeast Asian rice paddy." He felt the war was already lost by the time he graduated college. He also said that anti-war groups had made it impossible for the U.S. to win.
Early Legal Career
From 1974 to 1981, Bolton worked as a lawyer in Washington, D.C.. He also worked at another law firm from 1993 to 1999. Before becoming National Security Advisor in 2018, he was a lawyer at Kirkland & Ellis.
Government Roles (1980s-2000s)
During the Reagan and George H. W. Bush administrations, Bolton worked in several government departments. These included the State Department and the Justice Department.
As an assistant attorney general, he worked on various issues. He opposed payments to Japanese-Americans who were held in camps during World War II. He also helped with the process of appointing judges.
Under Secretary of State (2001–2005)
Bolton became the Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security on May 11, 2001. His main job was to prevent the spread of weapons of mass destruction.
He worked to make agreements with countries. These agreements would stop them from handing over Americans to the International Criminal Court. The U.S. does not recognize this court. Bolton said pulling out of the ICC was a very happy moment for him.
Weapons of Mass Destruction Concerns
Bolton played a role in stopping a 2001 conference in Geneva. This meeting aimed to strengthen a plan to enforce the 1972 Biological Weapons Convention. He argued that the plan could risk U.S. security by allowing inspections of U.S. sites.
In 2002, Bolton gave a speech called "Beyond the Axis of Evil." He added Cuba, Libya, and Syria to President Bush's "Axis of Evil" countries (Iran, Iraq, and North Korea). He said these countries were supporting terrorism and trying to get weapons of mass destruction.
Bolton also pushed for less money for a program called Nunn–Lugar Cooperative Threat Reduction. This program aimed to stop the spread of nuclear materials. At the same time, he worked on the Proliferation Security Initiative. This effort helped countries stop the illegal trade of dangerous weapons.
Diplomacy and Interventions
Some critics have called Bolton "rude" and "undiplomatic." However, Bolton says his actions show he supports effective diplomacy. Other officials said his strong statements helped him negotiate from a powerful position. He also received praise for helping create the Proliferation Security Initiative.
In July 2022, Bolton said he had been involved in planning coups d'état (attempts to overthrow governments) in other countries. It is unusual for U.S. officials to openly admit such actions.
Claims about Cuba
In 2002, Bolton claimed that Cuba had a secret biological weapons program. He said Cuba was working with Libya and Iran. He made these comments just before former President Jimmy Carter visited Cuba.
However, the State Department's chief bioweapons expert said there was no proof for Bolton's claims. Bolton then tried to fire this analyst. He also tried to punish other intelligence officers who disagreed with him. Bolton said the issue was about proper procedures, not the facts.
In 2004, Bolton again called Cuba a "terrorist and (biological weapons) threat." But experts at the time said the evidence was weak. Later in 2004, the Bush administration stepped back from these claims.
Ambassador to the United Nations (2005–2006)
On March 7, 2005, President George W. Bush nominated Bolton to be the United States Ambassador to the United Nations. Bolton had previously said that "there is no such thing as the United Nations." He also joked that if the UN building lost ten stories, it would not matter.
Many officials from other countries were surprised by his nomination. They felt he was against the United Nations. Because of delays by Democrats in the Senate, he was appointed temporarily on August 1, 2005. This is called a recess appointment.
Senate Confirmation Hearings
During his confirmation hearings, some senators criticized Bolton's strong views and diplomatic style. Senator Joe Biden said sending Bolton to the UN was like sending a "bull into a china shop." He worried about Bolton's "diplomatic temperament."
Concerns also came up about how Bolton treated some intelligence staff. A former colleague, Melody Townsel, told the Senate committee that Bolton had used harsh language and thrown objects. She also said he made inappropriate comments.
Democrats in the Senate delayed the vote on Bolton's nomination. They said the White House was holding back important documents about his work. The Senate failed to get enough votes to end the debate and move forward with the confirmation.
Term at the UN
The Economist magazine called Bolton "the most controversial ambassador ever sent by America to the United Nations." Some people at the UN liked his goals but not his harsh style. The New York Times praised Bolton for trying to reform the United Nations Human Rights Commission.
Bolton also opposed the new UN Human Rights Council. He felt it did not go far enough to fix problems. He said, "We want a butterfly. We don't intend to put lipstick on a caterpillar and call it a success."
End of Service
On December 4, 2006, Bolton announced he would leave his role as U.S. representative to the UN. His temporary appointment was ending, and he decided not to seek full confirmation. President Bush said he was not happy about Bolton's decision.
National Security Advisor (2018–2019)
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In 2016, during his presidential campaign, Donald Trump mentioned Bolton as a possible choice for Secretary of State. Some reports said Bolton was not chosen partly because Trump did not like his mustache.
In February 2017, President Trump interviewed Bolton for the National Security Advisor position. This role eventually went to H. R. McMaster. However, Trump said he would find another position for Bolton later.
On March 22, 2018, Trump announced that John Bolton would replace H. R. McMaster as National Security Advisor. Bolton started his new job on April 9, 2018. News outlets said that with Bolton and Mike Pompeo joining, Trump's foreign policy team became very aggressive.
Soon after starting, Bolton asked for the resignations of several National Security Council (NSC) employees. He also significantly reduced the number of NSC staff.
In April 2018, Bolton urged President Trump to leave the Iran Nuclear Deal. Trump did so a month later. Bolton also removed a team that focused on global health security. This decision was criticized during an Ebola outbreak.
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In September 2018, Bolton criticized the International Criminal Court. He called it a threat to "American sovereignty and U.S. national security." He also opposed efforts to bring Israel before the ICC.
Bolton asked the Pentagon for military options against Iran. He had a long history of strong opposition to Iran's leaders. He also changed how the National Security Council worked, which some say led to Trump's sudden decision to pull U.S. troops from Syria in 2019.
By May 2019, Trump sometimes disagreed with Bolton's strong positions. For example, Trump said he was not seeking to change the government in Iran. He also contradicted Bolton's claim that North Korea had broken UN rules.
On September 10, 2019, President Trump announced on Twitter that Bolton's "services are no longer needed." Trump said they had "many" disagreements. Bolton, however, said he had offered to resign the day before. He stated that Trump "never asked" for his resignation.
After leaving the White House, Bolton returned to his role as a senior advisor for an investment company.
Political Activities and Views
Bolton has been involved in conservative politics for many years. He was a paid contributor for Fox News and a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, a conservative think tank.
From 2013 to 2018, Bolton was chairman of the Gatestone Institute. This group is known for sharing anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim information.
Presidential Elections
Bolton thought about running for president in the 2012 United States presidential election. He gained some attention in conservative groups. However, in September 2011, he decided not to run.
During the Republican primary, Newt Gingrich said he would ask Bolton to be his Secretary of State if he won. In January 2012, Bolton supported Mitt Romney for the Republican nomination.
Bolton also considered running for president in the 2024 United States presidential election. He wanted to challenge Donald Trump for the Republican nomination. However, many people from both political parties did not support this idea.
American Enterprise Institute
Bolton was a senior vice president at the American Enterprise Institute from 1997 to 2001. He often wrote articles criticizing the foreign policy of the Clinton administration.
After leaving the George W. Bush Administration in 2006, Bolton returned to the American Enterprise Institute. He spoke against rewarding North Korea for ending its nuclear weapons program. He believed this would encourage other countries to break nuclear rules.
John Bolton Super PAC
In 2013, Bolton started the John Bolton Super PAC. This group raised money for Republican candidates. It spent money on advertising and voter data analysis.
Major donors to the Super PAC included Robert Mercer and Home Depot co-founder Bernard Marcus. After Bolton became National Security Advisor in March 2018, his Super PAC stopped its political activities temporarily.
Memoir and Legal Issues
On June 16, 2020, the Trump Justice Department tried to stop Bolton's memoir, The Room Where It Happened, from being published. They claimed he had not finished the security review process for the book. Bolton had submitted the book for review in December 2019. He was told in April 2020 that there were no more classification issues.
However, the White House did not give him official written permission to publish. The Justice Department asked a judge to block the book's release. But the book had already been printed and shipped. Media outlets had also gotten copies and started reporting on its contents.
A federal judge allowed the book to be published. The judge criticized Bolton for publishing without formal clearance. Bolton's lawyer said the White House was delaying the review to stop the book from coming out before the 2020 election. The book contained strong criticisms of Trump.
Later, the Justice Department started an investigation into whether the book revealed classified information. However, in June 2021, the Justice Department stopped this investigation. They also ended efforts to take the money Bolton earned from the book. In a 2023 edition of his book, Bolton criticized Trump for punishing allies and being too easy on Russia and China.
Political Positions
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Views on International Organizations
Bolton is often doubtful of international organizations and international law. He believes they can threaten American sovereignty (a nation's right to govern itself). He prefers unilateralism, meaning the U.S. should act alone when it's in its best interest, rather than working with many other countries.
He has strongly criticized the International Criminal Court. He sees it as a threat to U.S. sovereignty.
Views on the United Nations
Bolton has been a strong critic of the United Nations for most of his career. He believes international organizations limit the sovereignty of the United States. In 1994, he said, "There is no United Nations." He added that the U.S. is the "only real power left in the world."
He also famously said that if the Secretariat Building in New York lost ten stories, it would not make a difference. However, he has also said that the UN can be helpful for American foreign policy.
European Union
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Bolton is a critic of the European Union. He has said the EU is too slow to solve problems. He also criticized the Treaty of Lisbon for giving the EU more power.
In 2016, Bolton praised the UK's vote to leave the EU (Brexit). As National Security Advisor, he continued to support a "hard Brexit." In 2019, he criticized British politicians for not carrying out the Brexit vote.
Middle East Policy
Libya
Bolton opposed the deal that President George W. Bush made with Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi. This deal aimed to remove Libya's weapons of mass destruction program. Bolton was kept out of the final negotiations because he pushed too hard to change the agreement.
However, Bolton supported the NATO-led military action in Libya. This action led to the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi.
Iraq
Bolton is seen as one of the "architects" of the Iraq War. In 1998, he signed a letter asking President Bill Clinton to remove Saddam Hussein from power. He supported the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003. He continued to support this decision even in 2018.
Israel
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Bolton is known for his strong support for Israel. He does not support the idea of creating an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel. He supported moving the U.S. embassy in Israel to Jerusalem. In 2010, he helped start the Friends of Israel Initiative.
Bolton supports what he calls the "Three State Solution." Under this plan, Israel would take control of settlements in the West Bank. Egypt would control the Gaza Strip, and Jordan would control the rest of the West Bank. This plan would not create an independent Palestinian state.
North Korea and Iran
Bolton has suggested taking military action against North Korea and Iran. In March 2018, he said that South Korea should end the North Korean government. He believed the conflict between the two Koreas was their problem, not the U.S.'s.
In 2006, Bolton tried to bring legal action against Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. This was because Ahmadinejad had said that "Israel must be wiped off the map."
Bolton strongly pushed President Trump to leave the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran (the JCPOA). He believed the deal could not be fixed. After becoming National Security Advisor, he convinced Trump to withdraw from the deal.
In March 2018, Bolton told an Iranian exile group that the Trump administration should aim to change the government in Iran. He even said, "before 2019, we here will celebrate in Tehran!"
In 2019, Bolton, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo worked to stop Trump's attempts to talk with Iran.
On January 3, 2020, a high-ranking Iranian general, Qasem Soleimani, was killed in a U.S. drone strike. This greatly increased tensions between the two countries. Bolton called the strike a "decisive blow against Iran's malign Quds Force activities." He hoped it was the first step toward changing the government in Tehran.
People's Mujahedin of Iran
Before it was removed from the U.S. list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations in 2012, Bolton spoke in favor of the People's Mujahedin of Iran (MEK). He was paid to do so. The MEK is an Iranian opposition group.
According to his financial records, he received $40,000 for a speech to the MEK in 2016. He also received another $40,000 for a speech at a MEK gathering in Paris in 2017.
Russia
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In 2013, after Edward Snowden was given safety in Russia, Bolton said the U.S. needed to "cause [Putin] pain." He believed that not having a meeting with President Obama would not be enough.
A Russian senator, Aleksey Pushkov, called Bolton an "ideologue of a new cold war." He described Bolton as a "great specialist in interventions and aggression."
In 2017, Bolton wrote that Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections was "a true act of war." However, as Trump's national security advisor in 2018, Bolton called the investigation into Russian interference a "witch hunt."
In December 2021, Bolton called for a strong response to Russia's military buildup near Ukraine. This was before the full-scale invasion in February 2022. In July 2023, Bolton praised President Joe Biden's decision to send cluster munitions to Ukraine.
China
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In 2018, Bolton criticized Washington's One-China policy. This policy means the U.S. does not recognize Taiwan as an independent nation.
He also spoke about China's issues with intellectual property (ideas or inventions). He said there was "simply no excuse for the stealing of intellectual property."
In October 2018, Bolton said that the U.S. needed to counter China's military buildup in the Pacific. He mentioned this as a reason for the U.S. to leave a nuclear arms treaty with Russia.
Latin America
In a speech in November 2018, Bolton praised Brazil's president-elect Jair Bolsonaro and Colombia's president Iván Duque Márquez. He called them "like-minded" partners. He also criticized Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua, calling them a "troika of tyranny."
Personal Life
Bolton married Christina Bolton in 1972, and they divorced in 1983. He has been married to Gretchen Smith Bolton, a financial planner, since January 1986. They have a daughter named Jennifer. The family has lived in Bethesda, Maryland since 1986. Bolton is a Lutheran.
Images for kids
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John Bolton in 2008
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Bolton speaks at Chatham House on foreign policy challenges facing the Obama Administration.
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See also
In Spanish: John Bolton para niños
