Former national security adviser John Bolton said he thinks President Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff is a “disaster in the making.”
Bolton joined CNN’s Kasie Hunt over the weekend to discuss former national security Mike Waltz’s ouster from the position, Trump tapping Secretary of State Marco Rubio to do the job in the interim and Witkoff handling foreign negotiations.
“What is your understanding of how the Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, is interacting with Steve Witkoff?” Hunt asked, noting that Witkoff has been leading negotiations to end the Russia-Ukraine war. “Who’s really in charge here?”
“I don’t think it’s Marco Rubio,” Bolton replied. “If I were in his shoes, I’d be extraordinarily frustrated.
“I think Witkoff reports directly to Trump. That’s the advantage he has. He will do exactly what Trump says, and I think this is a disaster in the making, a disaster on the Ukraine-Russia front, a potential disaster on the Iran front,” he continued.
Bolton, who served under the first Trump administration and has since become a vocal critic of the president, argued that Witkoff doesn’t know “anything” about Russia, Ukraine or Iran.
“He doesn’t know anything about nuclear weapons. He doesn’t know anything about arms control, about state-to-state negotiation,” he said. “Really, it’s hard to imagine a less qualified person, and yet, he is Trump’s personal envoy.”
Bolton said he thinks Witkoff leading the U.S. negotiations is a “huge risk,” particularly as the Secretary of State or a national security adviser have not had much involvement.
His remarks come just days after the administration shuffle and it was announced Rubio would be taking on Waltz’s duties as national security adviser for the time being.
Witkoff has been holding meetings since the start of the administration, looking to end the war between Russia and Ukraine. It has proven to be a more difficult task than Trump had anticipated, with the U.S. and Ukraine officially signing a long-awaited mineral deal last week.
Witkoff is a longtime friend of Trump’s and a real estate investor. He’s been a largely unknown figure until he expanded his Middle East profile to include handling the Russia-Ukraine war. Witkoff has taken on more responsibility as a result of his strong personal relationship with Trump, officials said.
White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said in a statement to The Hill that it’s a “badge of honor” to be a target of Bolton’s “tantrum.”
“Steve Witkoff has done incredible work securing the release of Americans detained abroad, like Marc Fogel and Ksenia Karelina, while leaving behind a massive business enterprise to serve his country. Like President Trump, he is focused on stopping the killing and advancing peace through strength,” Kelly’s statement said.
Updated at 3:32 p.m. EDT
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