John Bolton Biography

John Bolton was installed as America’s ambassador to the United Nations by President George W. Bush on August 1, 2005, serving in that post for just over 16 months. He later became National Security Advisor under President Donald Trump in 2018, but was fired over policy differences in September of 2019.

John Bolton earned a law degree from Yale in 1974 and spent seven years at the Washington law firm of Covington & Burling (1974-81) before accepting a post as general counsel for the U.S. Agency for International Development in 1981, at the beginning of the Ronald Reagan administration. Over the next two decades Bolton worked in a variety of federal posts in the administrations of Reagan and George Bush the elder; when George Bush the younger took office in 2001, Bolton became Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security; as such, he was a key cheerleader for, and architect of, America’s invasion of Iraq after the attacks of 9/11.

In March of 2005, Bush nominated Bolton to replace John Danforth at the United Nations, an organization Bolton had often criticized. The nomination failed to reach a confirmation vote in the Senate, with some senators troubled by reports that Bolton had bullied subordinates and possibly used his position to gather intelligence on perceived rivals in the federal government. His exceedingly hawkish and attack-minded views on national defense strategy also worried some senators.

Because of the controversy, Bolton became a familiar face in the news, easily recognized by his big, bushy mustache. Congress went into recess late that summer, and Bush used a constitutional maneuver called a recess appointment to put Bolton in the job while Congress was away. The appointment was good until the end of the Congressional session in 2006. Bolton resigned his post in December of 2006.

John Bolton became a familiar face as a hard-line foreign policy commentator on Fox News and other conservative outlets. He also became an advisor to Donald Trump during Trump’s successful run for president in 2016.

In March of 2018, President Trump appointed John Bolton to be his National Security Advisor, replacing H.R. McMaster. Bolton’s role in decision making was diminished by a year later, and differences with President Trump eventually led to Bolton’s firing on September 10, 2019.

President Trump said Bolton was fired, and Mr. Bolton said he had offered to resign the night before, yet another example of their differences.