John Bolton Ousted by Trump as National Security Adviser

President Trump dismissed John Bolton, his national security adviser, after a contentious debate about Afghan peace talks became the latest of many disputes over foreign policy that exposed differences so severe that the two men couldn’t even agree on how the ouster happened.

Mr. Bolton, the president’s third national security adviser, had exerted a hawkish influence in the White House, at times advocating for military action while Mr. Trump has shied away from overseas interventions. He also disagreed with the president and other advisers on policies toward North Korea, Iran and Russia.

For months, Mr. Trump defended Mr. Bolton’s more aggressive views, saying he valued diversity of opinion. But after Mr. Bolton disagreed with the president’s interest in striking a peace deal in Afghanistan—including a plan to meet last weekend with Taliban and Afghan leaders at Camp David that was ultimately canceled—Mr. Trump made it clear he had had enough.

“I informed John Bolton last night that his services are no longer needed at the White House,” Mr. Trump wrote on Twitter Tuesday morning. “I disagreed strongly with many of his suggestions, as did others in the Administration, and therefore I asked John for his resignation, which was given to me this morning.”

Photo: Evan Vucci/Associated Press

In his own Twitter message, Mr. Bolton offered a different account of his departure, writing: “I offered to resign last night and President Trump said, ‘Let’s talk about it tomorrow.’ ”

Mr. Bolton’s offer to resign came during a dispute with the Republican president about Afghanistan on Monday before the president left for a campaign rally that evening in North Carolina, according to a person familiar with the matter. Early Tuesday, Mr. Bolton sent a letter of resignation to the White House, this person said.

Mr. Trump wrote on Twitter that he would name a new national security adviser next week. Charles Kupperman, the deputy national security adviser, has been named Mr. Bolton’s temporary successor, a White House spokeswoman said.

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