John Bolton Texted Fox News Host to Dispute Trump in Real Time
“Let’s be clear. I resigned,” the now-former national security adviser texted host Brian Kilmeade.
Stephanie Keith/Getty Images
Fox News hosts on Tuesday were interrupted from their discussion of national security adviser John Bolton’s resignation by a report straight from the source during a live broadcast.
“John Bolton just texted me... he’s watching,” Fox & Friends host Brian Kilmeade, a friend of the president’s, said during a live afternoon appearance on Outnumbered. “He said: ‘Let’s be clear. I resigned.” Kilmeade then confirmed that Bolton had allowed him to share the text on-air.
Only minutes before, President Trump claimed he’d fired Bolton, a former Fox News contributor, on Monday evening. “I informed John Bolton last night that his services are no longer needed at the White House,” Trump tweeted. “I asked John for his resignation, which was given to me this morning.” Bolton then contradicted the president with his own tweet, saying that he offered his resignation Monday night.
While Bolton’s text to Kilmeade was particularly dramatic given it happened on live TV, the former national-security chief also quickly texted his side of the story to many reporters, including journalists at the Washington Post and The Daily Beast.
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