Trump lashes out at Bolton on eve of book’s release

President Trump on Monday renewed his attacks on John Bolton, deriding him as a “wacko” and “incompetent” one day before his former national security adviser’s book officially goes on sale.

“I gave John Bolton, who was incapable of being Senate confirmed because he was considered a wacko, and was not liked, a chance. I always like hearing differing points of view,” Trump tweeted.

“He turned out to be grossly incompetent, and a liar. See judge’s opinion. CLASSIFIED INFORMATION!!!” Trump added.

I gave John Bolton, who was incapable of being Senate confirmed because he was considered a wacko, and was not liked, a chance. I always like hearing differing points of view. He turned out to be grossly incompetent, and a liar. See judge’s opinion. CLASSIFIED INFORMATION!!!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 22, 2020

Trump has for days gone on the attack against Bolton, whose book contains damning allegations about the president. Bolton writes that Trump is “stunningly uninformed” and motivated by his personal and political interests over those of the country.

The White House has attempted to paint Bolton as an opportunist who published classified information, but in doing so has elevated the former national security adviser’s book. It has been listed at No. 1 on the Amazon best-seller list for days leading up to its release on Tuesday.

A federal judge over the weekend denied a Trump administration request to block the book from being published on the grounds that it contained classified information.

U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth wrote in an order released Saturday that “while Bolton’s unilateral conduct raises grave national security concerns, the government has not established that an injunction is an appropriate remedy.”

“In taking it upon himself to publish his book without securing final approval from national intelligence authorities, Bolton may indeed have caused the country irreparable harm,” Lamberth wrote. “But in the Internet age, even a handful of copies in circulation could irrevocably destroy confidentiality. A single dedicated individual with a book in hand could publish its contents far and wide from his local coffee shop. With hundreds of thousands of copies around the globe—many in newsrooms—the damage is done. There is no restoring the status quo.”

Bolton has been on a media blitz to promote the book, appearing on an ABC News prime-time special on Sunday night, sitting for an interview with NPR and appearing this week on Fox News.