Midday on Tuesday, President Donald Trump declared on Twitter that he had asked for the resignation of John Bolton, his current national security adviser. “I informed John Bolton last night that his services are no longer needed at the White House,” he wrote in a tweet. “I asked John for his resignation, which was given to me this morning. I thank John very much for his service. I will be naming a new National Security Advisor next week.”
….I asked John for his resignation, which was given to me this morning. I thank John very much for his service. I will be naming a new National Security Advisor next week.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 10, 2019
Unsurprisingly, though, Bolton quickly took to Twitter to dispute the president’s account, saying that he had “offered to resign last night.” Instead of accepting it then, he claimed, Trump told him they would “talk tomorrow.”
I offered to resign last night and President Trump said, "Let's talk about it tomorrow."
— John Bolton (@AmbJohnBolton) September 10, 2019
Aside from these particular tweets, both men refrained from commenting on the matter again on social media. However, Bolton did take the time to text Brian Kilmeade, a Fox News personality best known for his work on the morning program Fox & Friends, about the matter. “John Bolton just texted me. Just now. He’s watching,” he claimed. “He said, ‘Let’s be clear: I resigned.'” The distinction here, of course, was concerning whether Bolton himself had resigned or Trump has asked him to.
https://twitter.com/LisPower1/status/1171458331216502785
Regardless of whether Trump had fired Bolton or Bolton had resigned from his post, politicians, pundits, and trolls couldn’t resist commenting on (and joking about) the story.
Quite a moment on Fox –> Host @Kilmeade said "John Bolton just texted me. Just now. He's watching. And he said, 'Let's be clear. I resigned.'"
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) September 10, 2019
Ambassador Bolton sends me a text message just now: “Let’s be clear, I resigned, having offered to do so last night.”
— Robert Costa (@costareports) September 10, 2019
.@AmbJohnBolton resignation letter pic.twitter.com/nClIJkuQFi
— John Roberts (@johnrobertsFox) September 10, 2019
"I am never surprised," says @SecPompeo with a smile as he takes a question about whether he was blindsided by Bolton's ouster.
— Yamiche Alcindor (@Yamiche) September 10, 2019
Breaking: John Bolton out as National Security Advisor to continue his lifelong dream of killing Todd from the Fox & the Hound. pic.twitter.com/OigdvFB5nI
— The Volatile Mermaid (@OhNoSheTwitnt) September 10, 2019
John Bolton will be another fiery temper and cauldron of sexuality at Sexy Unique Restaurant in the most exciting season of Vanderpump Rules yet
— Lead Actor from Pixar’s Sodas (@ByYourLogic) September 10, 2019
https://twitter.com/dmartosko/status/1171540954433458176
Well there’s a media stakeout at Bolton’s house and looks like he just answered the doorbell pic.twitter.com/L5BYkZIyEl
— Meridith McGraw (@meridithmcgraw) September 10, 2019
No word yet from Trump on which member of the Taliban will be replacing John Bolton.
— Chelsea Handler (@chelseahandler) September 10, 2019
Eagerly looking forward to seeing John Bolton on Dancing With The Stars.
— Jules Suzdaltsev (@jules_su) September 10, 2019
https://twitter.com/darth/status/1171459635561189377
(Via CNN)