Trump’s authoritarianism is apparently about to get even more extreme. According to a new Foreign Policy report, his new national security advisor, John Bolton, is preparing to systematically “clean house” and fire anyone perceived to have ever been “disloyal” to the president from the National Security Council (NSC).
Those who were hired under Obama or Bolton’s predecessor H.R. McMaster, those who have leaked information to the press, and anyone Trump feels didn’t prove they were loyal enough are all said to be targets.
“Bolton can and will clean house,†one source told Foreign Policy.
“Everyone who was there during Obama years should start packing their shit,” said another.
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A former White House staffer said, “He is going to remove almost all the political [appointees] McMaster brought in.â€
Bolton is said to be one of the most hawkish NSC advisors in recent memory, and it’s likely that he’ll choose others who lean the same way. His hiring is terrifying news for anyone who was hoping for a diplomatic approach for dealing with North Korea and other foreign adversaries, as well as anyone who wants the U.S. to maintain good relations with its allies in the United Nations and European Union.
Bolton’s new role combined with the recent firing of Rex Tillerson, who was working on setting up diplomatic talks with North Korea, as secretary of state sets an even more ominous precedent for what we can expect from the Trump presidency than what we already were.
