National Security Advisor John Bolton, who Iran and Beto O'Rourke paint as the real culprit behind nefarious war-making in Washington,...
National Security Advisor John Bolton, who Iran and Beto O'Rourke paint as the real culprit behind nefarious war-making in Washington, is in the news for another reason this Saturday, and it appears to have caused indigestion in the President.
Bolton was speaking to reporters in Japan, where the President is visiting this weekend, when he said that North Korea's missile tests earlier this month were a violation of U.N. resolutions.
"U.N. Security Council resolutions prohibit North Korea from firing any ballistic missiles," Bolton said, speaking with regard to the ballistic missiles North Korea fired the first week of May. "In terms of violating U.N. Security Council resolutions, there is no doubt about that."
President Trump, however, has no concerns, and he said as much in a Tweet that is hard to read as anything but a direct reaction to Bolton. "North Korea fired off some small weapons, which disturbed some of my people, and others, but not me," the President wrote, obviously referring to at least Bolton if not other members of his cabinet and administration.
"I have confidence that Chairman Kim will keep his promise to me," he added with some affection. He also shared an anecdote of an insult to former Vice President Joe Biden, currently the Democratic frontrunner for 2020, saying that Kim called him "Swampman" and insulted his IQ.
North Korea fired off some small weapons, which disturbed some of my people, and others, but not me. I have confidence that Chairman Kim will keep his promise to me, & also smiled when he called Swampman Joe Bidan a low IQ individual, & worse. Perhaps that's sending me a signal?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 25, 2019
Update Note: President Trump deleted the original tweet, which had several typos (including spelling Joe Biden's name wrong) after this story was published, and resent a corrected version.
North Korea fired off some small weapons, which disturbed some of my people, and others, but not me. I have confidence that Chairman Kim will keep his promise to me, & also smiled when he called Swampman Joe Biden a low IQ individual, & worse. Perhaps that’s sending me a signal?— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 26, 2019
North Korean state television offered a number of insults to Joe Biden this past week. Enough that it prompted a pretty funny cold open on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.
Obviously President Trump thought it was funny, in any case. But no cause for concern.
Unless it concerns you that the President felt it necessary to contradict the National Security Advisor's correct assessment of a hostile foreign dictator resuming missile tests expressly prohibited under U.N. agreements and this administration's own policy.
There has been a great deal of speculation in Washington this week that John Bolton, and to a lesser extent Mike Pompeo, are really calling the shots on big foreign policy matters like North Korea and Iran. Perhaps that perception of not being The Man is having the desired effect on Trump.