Kaitlan Collins Asks National Security Advisor Fired by Trump What Advice He’d Give to the Next Person in the Job

John Bolton, who previously served as Donald Trump’s national security advisor, was asked by CNN Friday night if he had any advice for whoever has that same job in the president-elect’s upcoming second term.

Bolton – who was fired by Trump in 2019 and had worked in every Republican White House going back to the Reagan administration – offered a thoughtful answer.

Just a week after Trump implied the mere sight of Bolton made world leaders shudder at the thought of him turning their homelands into killing fields, the 75-year-old took the high road. He told CNN’s Kaitlan Collins a national security adviser must check off some important boxes:

Well, I think the first thing is to remember that the national security advisor really should do whatever he can – he or she can – to put information in front of the president that is helpful in making decisions to make sure the president has the options laid out before him and can make the best selection of policy he wants. And then to make sure the president’s decisions are followed through. If the president doesn’t take your advice, then that goes with the job. You are the national security advisor and not the national security decision-maker.

But most assuredly, what your job is not is simply to say, “Yes, sir” when the president says something. You have to do what you can, and you are obviously dealing with a human being, but you need to do what you can to make sure that all of the information is available and all of the feasible options are laid out. If you fail to do that by saying, “Yes, sir,” every time the president speaks, you’re not serving the president, you’re not serving the country.

Although Trump referred to him as a “nut job” and a “moron” just a week ago, Bolton tabled any indignation he might have felt toward the former and future commander-in-chief of the country’s armed forces.

Watch above via CNN.