Donald Trump announces firing of national security chief John Bolton

National Security Adviser John Bolton is the latest to be sacked by Donald Trump following a heated argument with the President.

US President Donald Trump has fired security chief John Bolton, making him the 47th staff member to be ousted during the administration. Picture: AP Photo/Alex Brandon

US President Donald Trump announced he has fired his hawkish National Security Adviser John Bolton, saying he disagreed “strongly” with his positions.

“I asked John for his resignation, which was given to me this morning,” Mr Trump announced on Twitter.

“I informed John Bolton last night that his services are no longer needed at the White House,” Mr Trump wrote, saying he would name a replacement next week.

Mr Bolton denied being fired and said he had resigned.

US National security adviser John Bolton, left, listens to US President Donald Trump, far right, who announced via Twitter that he was fired. Picture: AP

The news — coming days after Mr Trump caused uproar by revealing he was cancelling secret talks with Afghanistan’s Taliban — stunned Washington.

Mr Bolton is a veteran and controversial figure closely linked to the invasion of Iraq and other aggressive foreign policy decisions.

He had been seen as one of the main driving forces in the White House’s muscular approach to Iran, Venezuela and other trouble spots.

As often in the Trump presidency, the abrupt reshuffle appeared to contain an element of chaos.

....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

Mr Bolton himself disputed Mr Trump’s version of events, apparently saying that the president had not fired him in person, as he claimed, late Monday.

“I offered to resign last night and President Trump said, “Let’s talk about it tomorrow,” Mr Bolton tweeted.

Security adviser John Bolton, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and President Donald Trump. Bolton says he resigned but Trump tweeted he was asked for his resignation. Picture: AP

Mr Bolton’s ouster came as a surprise to many in the White House.

Just an hour before Mr Trump’s tweet, the press office announced that Mr Bolton would join Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin in a briefing.

Mr Bolton was always an unlikely pick to be Mr Trump’s third national security adviser, with a world view seemingly ill-fit to the president’s isolationist “America First” pronouncements.

He’s espoused hawkish foreign policy views dating back to the Reagan administration and became a household name over his vociferous support for the Iraq War as the US ambassador to the UN under George W Bush.

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US President Donald Trump, left, has fired national security adviser John Bolton, right, who will be the 47th Trump staffer to be ousted during the administration. Picture: AP

Mr Bolton even briefly considered running for president in 2016, in part to make the case against the isolationism that Mr Trump would come to embody.

Inside the administration he advocated caution on the president’s whirlwind rapprochement with North Korea and against Mr Trump’s decision last year to pull US troops out of Syria.

HIGH TURNOVER IN TRUMP ADMINISTRATION

The ousting of Mr Bolton was reportedly the result of a heated argument between Mr Trump and Mr Bolton on Monday night, according to CNN.

The argument erupted over Mr Trump’s insistence that he would host leaders of the Taliban at Camp David.

CNN did not confirm whether the fight took place over the phone or in person.

The sacking of John Bolton is the latest in a lengthy list of Trump staffer departures — numbering 47, to be precise — including strategist Steve Bannon, national security chief Michael Flynn, FBI director James Comey, communications directors Sean Spicer, secretary of state Rex Tillerson, former Chief of Staff John Kelly, and attorney-general Jeff Sessions.

According to CNN, Mr Trump’s approval rating has taken a hit, with 71% of people saying they do not trust what they hear from the White House; 60% saying Mr Trump does not deserve re-election; and the US president’s job approval rating is at its lowest since January.