In a striking contradiction of public statements, former national security adviser John Bolton asserted on Tuesday that President Donald Trump was fully aware that Iran would retaliate against U.S. attacks, despite Trump's claims that "nobody expected" such a response.
Bolton's Direct Challenge to Trump's Narrative
Bolton made these revelations during a television interview, directly challenging the president's assertion that Iran's bombing of American allied nations in the Gulf region came as a complete shock. "I know for a fact that he was aware of those potentials," Bolton stated unequivocally, referring to the possibility of Iranian retaliation.
Meetings During Trump's First Term
The former adviser explained that these potential scenarios were discussed in multiple meetings he had with President Trump during Trump's first term, before Bolton was dismissed from his position. Bolton specifically mentioned raising the option of regime change in Iran on several occasions, though he noted he never convinced the president to adopt that position.
"Every time I raised it, they raised a whole long list of difficulties that are entailed by a regime change campaign," Bolton recalled. "And that if you're going to embark on it you better have answers to them and certainly closing the Strait of Hormuz was always one of them and so were attacks on the Gulf Arab states, particularly their oil infrastructure."
Trump's Public Statements of Surprise
President Trump had publicly expressed astonishment at Iran's actions, stating: "They (Iran) weren't supposed to go after all these other countries in the Middle East. Nobody expected that. We were shocked." This statement directly conflicts with Bolton's account of the president's prior knowledge.
Anonymous Sources Corroborate Bolton's Claims
Additional sources have anonymously supported Bolton's assertions. A current U.S. official and other insiders have confirmed that Trump was briefed on potential Iranian reactions, including strikes against Saudi Arabia and Kuwait and attempts to close the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz.
One source told Reuters: "It certainly was on the list of potential outcomes," indicating that administration officials had indeed anticipated the possibility of such retaliation.
Bolton's Assessment of Presidential Memory
Bolton expressed skepticism that Trump could have forgotten these discussions from his first term. "He knew about it in his first term," Bolton stated. "I find it hard to believe that he forgot about it in the intervening years."
When CNN host Anderson Cooper questioned whether Trump might not have been properly briefed on potential repercussions, Bolton dismissed the notion with what amounted to a verbal eye-roll, essentially saying such an explanation was implausible given the detailed discussions that had taken place.
This revelation highlights significant discrepancies between the administration's internal deliberations and its public messaging regarding Middle East policy and national security strategy.
