On April 15, I had the pleasure of hosting, on behalf of the Cliosophic Society, Ambassador John Bolton at Princeton’s Nassau Inn for a discussion entitled “The Room Where It Happened: National Security Decisions Under Pressure.” Bolton’s legacy as a leading professional in American foreign policy offered more than a glimpse behind the diplomatic curtain; it invited a critical examination of the processes and personalities that have shaped recent American engagement with the world.
Bolton’s career in public service spans four decades and multiple administrations that have placed him at the epicenter of American foreign policy during some of its most consequential moments. His distinguished roles as United States Ambassador to the United Nations under President George W. Bush from 2005-2006 and as National Security Advisor to President Donald Trump from 2018-2019 have earned him a privileged first-row seat to the strategy and execution of foreign policy.
The evening opened with an intimate reception, where students engaged Bolton on topics spanning his formative years at Yale during the turbulence of the Vietnam War era to his candid assessments of presidential temperament and the evolving landscape of Republican leadership.
In his formal remarks, Bolton dissected the complexities of balancing a president’s domestic agenda, centered on lowering prices and bolstering the labor market, with his international agenda. Serious foreign policy initiatives often do not yield benefits that are immediately visible to Americans, harming a president’s short term domestic objectives. For example, fluctuating oil prices due to the Iran conflict have directly impacted the Trump administration’s ability to achieve its “America First” goal of lowering prices for ordinary Americans. The difficulty of negotiating these competing demands only increased during the Ambassador’s tenure, when he managed them under an unpredictable Executive.
Bolton’s reflections on his service in the Trump administration illuminated the administration’s haphazard approach to foreign policy. He described how, unlike previous administrations, Trump disregarded the deliberative processes within the executive branch, liberally exercising his personal authority and carrying out rash, often unilateral actions. He viewed the presidency much like running a business, expecting his advisors to execute his directives without providing substantial input. The National Security Council operated as a boardroom where Trump issued orders. Rather than allowing senior military officials to shape his decisions, the President dictated commands to his advisors, showing little regard for their expertise and collective wisdom. This approach strained the traditional safeguards of national security. Bolton also highlighted Trump’s indifference to the established etiquette of these meetings, noting that he frequently overlooked even routine practices, like preparing meeting agendas. These personal anecdotes revealed the volatility and spectacle that have come to characterize the upper echelons of American governance.
In the aftermath of his abrupt dismissal from the Trump administration in September 2019, Bolton has become one of Trump’s most outspoken critics, frequently appearing on NBC, ABC, CBS, and FOX news and penning op-eds to warn against what he views as dangerous lapses in American global leadership. His memoir, “The Room Where It Happened,” became an international bestseller and pulled back the curtain on decision-making in the Trump White House. The book, published in 2020, drew extreme controversy for its critical accounts of internal debates and unflattering depiction of the President’s temperament.
In addition to his first-hand knowledge of working for the President, the Ambassador also offered timely commentary on U.S. policy toward Iran and Israel. Against the backdrop of escalating hostilities in the Middle East, he reaffirmed his deep concern over the possibility of Iran acquiring nuclear arms. Bolton expressed apprehension over Iran’s unpredictability, noting that he would be uncomfortable if a nation ruled by extreme religious zealots had access to weapons of mass destruction. The Ambassador viewed a nuclear armed Iran as a dangerous source of further instability and conflict in the Middle East, and as a threat to American National Security.
Following the talk, I asked the Ambassador about the future of America’s global alliances and whether or not we can salvage them. Bolton replied that alliances like NATO are invaluable, stressing the need for America’s diplomatic cooperation rather than isolationism.
Students had the opportunity to ask our guest their own questions, and the conversation gravitated toward the United States’ involvement in the conflict with Iran and the uncertain future of NATO. These exchanges reflected a broader anxiety about the durability of the postwar international order and America’s willingness to shoulder its traditional responsibilities.
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