John Bolton didn’t hesitate when asked to describe Donald Trump’s glowering mug shot, released after the former president was booked on Thursday in the Georgia election interference case.
“He could’ve smiled. He could’ve looked benign,” Bolton said on CNN. “Instead he looks like a thug.”
Bolton, who served as national security advisor under Trump, said the image was likely carefully staged, as most things are around Trump.
“I think it’s intended to be a sign of intimidation against the prosecutors and the judges,” he said.
Bolton also had harsh words for most of the other Republicans seeking the presidential nomination after six of eight participants in Wednesday night’s debate said they would support Trump if he wins the primary even if he’s convicted.
“I think there were six wrong answers and two right answers,” Bolton said. “You cannot believe in a law-and-order philosophy and say it applies to everybody except Donald Trump.”
He added: “In any sane society, somebody who’s a convicted felon should step aside.”
Bolton said the Republican National Committee should have a rule forcing a convicted candidate off the ticket.
Like many who served under Trump, Bolton released a tell-all book bashing his former boss and has made regular appearances in the media speaking out against the ex-president.
Trump has fired back by calling him a “liar,” a “dope” and a “sick puppy.”
Bolton has said in the past that he voted for Trump in 2016, but not in 2020, when he wrote in the name of a conservative candidate instead. He added that he would do the same next year if Trump is the Republican nominee.
See the full conversation below: