The Hill: Bolton exposé makes Trump a figure of mockery

Mod: Trump, having been so thoroughly exposed by Bolton as little more than a fool, has lost his most important weapon. Who will care what Donald has to say now?

The Memo: Bolton exposé makes Trump figure of mockery (The Hilllink): John Bolton’s most potent weapon against President Trump is simple but brutal — mockery. The New York Times published details from the former national security advisor’s book Wednesday afternoon, and other outlets soon followed. The revelations caused an immediate firestorm.

By Bolton’s account, Trump on one occasion asked if Finland is part of Russia. He was not aware that the United Kingdom possesses nuclear weapons. He was eager to see if an autographed copy of Elton John’s “Rocket Man” could be delivered to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

And he was so reckless that he needed to be looked after by former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and former Secretary of Defense James Mattis, whom Bolton reportedly terms “the axis of adults.” Bolton’s portrayal of the president as a fool may be a sharper dart, politically speaking, than serious allegations suggesting Trump committed other potentially impeachable acts, beyond his dealings with Ukraine.

In the one detail that is likely to receive enormous attention, Bolton recounts a meeting during which Tillerson’s successor as Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, purportedly passed Bolton a note saying of Trump: “He is so full of shit.” That remark will be added to the pantheon of profanities that have been used by, or attributed to, erstwhile members of Trump’s inner circle.

Tillerson is said to have called Trump a “f----ing moron.” Bob Woodward’s book, "Fear," characterizes lawyer John Dowd as believing Trump to be “a f----ing liar” and former Chief of Staff John Kelly to have considered him an “idiot.” (Dowd and Kelly denied those accounts.)

There has been a vigorous effort from the administration and outside Trump allies to suppress or discredit Bolton’s book — a sign, perhaps, that they are aware of the danger it poses.

Whereas impeachment focused on Ukraine, and Trump’s apparent willingness to make congressionally mandated aid contingent upon the eastern European nation launching an investigation into Joe Biden, Bolton argues a broadly similar stroke was attempted with China.

Bolton describes a June 2019 Group of 20 summit at which Trump asked Chinese President Xi Jinping to help him win the 2020 election. “He stressed the importance of farmers, and increased Chinese purchases of soybeans and wheat in the electoral outcome. I would print Trump’s exact words but the government’s prepublication review process has decided otherwise,” Bolton writes, according to The Washington Post.

Mod: There is much more to be found at the link.

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