On Tuesday, President Donald Trump made a controversial decision to strip former National Security Adviser John Bolton of his Secret Service protection. Bolton, who served as Trump’s third National Security Adviser until 2019, has been the target of an Iranian plot to murder him. The threat was linked to his role in the Trump administration, particularly after the U.S. drone strike that killed Iranian General Qassem Soleimani in January 2020.
Bolton’s spokesperson confirmed that the Secret Service had contacted him on Monday evening, informing him that his security detail would be terminated the following day. Trump, speaking to reporters, justified the move, stating, “We are not going to have security on people for the rest of their lives.” Bolton, unsurprisingly, expressed disappointment over the decision, though he noted he was not surprised. He criticized Trump’s decision in a post on X (formerly Twitter), while Trump fired back, calling Bolton a “dumb person.”
The disagreement between Trump and Bolton had been simmering for some time. After leaving his position in 2019, Bolton became an outspoken critic of the former president. In his 2024 memoir, he described Trump as “unfit to be president,” accusing him of being a self-interested leader who sought to punish enemies while appeasing adversaries like Russia and China.
The Iranian assassination plot against Bolton was revealed in 2022 when the U.S. Justice Department charged an Iranian member of the elite Revolutionary Guard Corps, Shahram Poursafi, with attempting to orchestrate the murder. Poursafi remains at large, as Iran refuses to cooperate with U.S. extradition requests.
Interestingly, after Bolton’s life was threatened by Iran, President Joe Biden extended his Secret Service protection in 2021, despite Bolton’s outspoken criticism of Biden’s policies. This decision underscored the growing partisan divide over national security issues. Bolton, once a fierce advocate for military intervention and regime change, continues to be a polarizing figure within both the Republican and Democratic circles. His hawkish stance on foreign policy, particularly his support for the Iraq War and various coup attempts, has long been criticized by both conservatives and human rights advocates alike.
Despite these controversies, the plot against his life by Iranian operatives highlights the serious risks faced by U.S. officials involved in high-stakes international affairs. Trump’s decision to end Bolton’s Secret Service protection has raised questions about how much political differences should weigh in security matters, particularly when the safety of Americans is at stake.