♪ ♪ ♪ >> Stephen: WE'RE BACK WITH
AMBASSADOR JOHN BOLTON, AUTHOR OF "THE ROOM WHERE IT HAPPENED."
AMBASSADOR, FOURTH OF JULY IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER.
WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE THE PATRIOTIC RESPONSE TO DONALD
TRUMP IS?
>> WELL, I DON'T THINK THIS IS-- PART OF THE PROBLEM WITH DONALD
TRUMP IS THAT EVERY QUESTION THAT CONFRONTS THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE IS CONVERTED INTO, "ARE YOU FOR DONALD TRUMP OR AGAINST
DONALD TRUMP?" NOW, THAT'S THE WAY DONALD TRUMP
LOOKS AT THE WORLD.
HE'S EITHER A WINNER OR A LOSER.
>> Stephen: HOW WOULD YOU REFRAME IT?
HOW WOULD YOU REFRAME THAT QUESTION?
>> I THINK THE UNITED STATES HAS GOT TO BREAK FREE FROM THIS
MINDSET THAT YOU'RE EITHER FOR TRUMP OR AGAINST HIM, YOU'RE
EITHER POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE.
THERE'S A LOT MORE AT STAKE HERE.
THE UNITED STATES FACES A LOT OF CHALLENGES INTERNATIONALLY.
I THINK IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING WE FACE A LOT OF CHALLENGES
DOMESTICALLY.
I WANT TO SEE BOTH FOR THE COUNTRY, AND I'LL SAY CLEARLY,
FOR THE REPUBLICAN PARTY, TO CUT THIS ALBATROSS OFF FROM AROUND
OUR NECK.
THAT'S WHY I'M NOT GOING TO VOTE FOR HIM IN NOVEMBER.
I WISH THERE WERE SOME WAY TO GET A CONSERVATIVE REPUBLICAN ON
THE BALLOT IN NOVEMBER.
>> Stephen: YOU TALK IN THE BOOK ABOUT DONALD TRUMP TALKING
TO XI JINPING ABOUT, AS YOU DESCRIBE, CONCENTRATION CAMPS
BEING BUILT FOR THE HUEGER'S.
AND TRUMP GAVE A THUMBS-UP.
KNOWING THE CHINESE ARE BUILDING IT MIGHT BE SOMETHING THE
INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY WOULD DO.
KNOWING THEY ARE GIVING A THUMBS-UP APPROVING THE
DETAINMENT OF PEOPLE IN CONCENTRATION CAMPS IN CHINA,
WHY NOT TELL US THEN?
WHAT IS THE MORAL IMPERATIVE NYOUR MIND THEN, FOR YOU?
>> LOOK, THERE'S ALWAYS A TRADEOFF FOR OFFICIALS IN
GOVERNMENT, PARTICULARLY SENIOR OFFICIALS, OF HOW LONG YOU STAY
IN TO TRY TO ADVISE THE PRESIDENT TO MOVE IN THE RIGHT
CORRECTION DIRECTION, AS YOUR CONSCIENCE TELLS YOU, VERSUS
LEAVING TO SAY WHAT THEY'RE DOING WRONG.
AND I HAD-- I HAD A SERIES OF DECISIONS.
I TRY TO LAY THEM OUT IN THE BOOK.
I THOUGHT OF RESIGNING MANY TIMES.
I STAYED FOR 17 MONTHS.
YOU CAN SAY, "YOU STAYED TOO LONG."
OTHER PEOPLE HAVE CRITICIZED ME FOR NOT STAYING LONG ENOUGH AND
STAYING IN.
THERE'S A LARGE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE
LEFT THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION UNDER ONE CIRCUMSTANCE OR
ANOTHER.
AND I DON'T CRITICIZE ANY OF THEM.
THIS IS A HARD DECISION TO MAKE.
UNTIL YOU'VE BEEN IN THE SHOES OF SOMEBODY IN THAT SITUATION,
IT'S EASY FOR OUTSIDERS TO SAY, "YOU MADE THE WRONG MOVE."
I'VE TRIED TO LAY OUT AS MUCH AS I CAN IN THE BOOK WHAT MY
THINKING WAS.
AND, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WILL ACCEPT IT OR REJECT IT.
BUT I DIDN'T DECIDE TO RESIGN BECAUSE OF THE HUEYGER'S AT THAT
POINT.
>> Stephen: IF DONALD TRUMP LOSES IN NOVEMBER, HOW QUICKLY
WILL THE G.O.P. AND CONSERVATIVES SAY, "HE WASN'T A
TRUE CONSERVATIVE?" >> VERY QUICKLY, I HOPE.
ONE OF THE REASONS I WROTE THE BOOK, I DO THINK AFTER NOVEMBER,
WHETHER TRUMP WINS OR LOSES, THE REPUBLICAN PARTY HAS TO HAVE A
SIGNIFICANT CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT ITS FUTURE IS.
I HOPE IT'S WITH TRUMP AND TRUMP'S INFLUENCE IS REMOVED.
WE'LL HAVE TO SEE HOW THAT GOES BUT THAT'S WHAT I INTEND TO TRY
TO PARTICIPATE IN.
>> Stephen: KNOWING WHAT YOU KNOW AND WHAT YOU'RE TELLING THE
WORLD WITH YOUR BOOK NOW, HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE CONSERVATIVES
WHO STILL SUPPORT THE PRESIDENT?
>> LOOK, I THINK THERE ARE A LOT OF REASONS WHY THEY ARE.
I GO BACK TO 2016.
I VOTED FOR HIM.
I'M NOT GOING TO TRY TO HIDE THAT FACT.
I WISH OTHERS HAD BROKEN OR WHO ARE BREAKING WITH HIM NOW, IT
WOULD CERTAINLY MAKE MY JOB A LOT EASIER TODAY.
BUT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A RECKONING AFTER THE ELECTION,
WHETHER TRUMP WINS OR LOSES AT THAT POINT.
>> Stephen: IS THIS A FAREWELL TOUR FOR YOU?
CERTAINLY YOU'RE NOT GOING TO WORK FOR A DEMOCRATIC
ADMINISTRATION, AND YOU'RE BURNING A LOT OF BRIDGES WITH
THIS BOOK.
IS THIS YOUR GOODBYE TO PUBLIC SERVICE IN WASHINGTON, D.C.?
>> WELL, IT MAY BE MY GOODBYE TO SERVING IN THE GOVERNMENT.
BUT I THINK, PARTICULARLY IF-- IF THE DEMOCRATS WIN FOR THE
NEXT FOUR YEARS, BUT THE BIGGER PHILOSOPHICAL QUESTIONS REMAIN
AND NEED TO BE ANSWERED THE RIGHT WAY.
I DIDN'T WORK FOR BARRY GOLDWATER IN 1964 OR RONALD
REAGAN IN 1980 OR THE TWO BUSH ADMINISTRATIONS TO END WITH THE
REPUBLICAN PARTY BEING THE REPUBLICAN PARTY OF DONALD
TRUMP.
THAT'S NOT THE END I'M GOING TO ACCEPT.
>> Stephen: WELL, SIR, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
THE BOOK "THE ROOM WHERE IT HAPPENED" IS AVAILABLE NOW.
AMBASSADOR JOHN BOLTON, EVERYBODY.
WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK.
THANKS FOR BEING HERE, SIR.
♪ ♪ ♪