President Trump’s focus seems to have shifted in recent weeks from domestic issues to foreign ones. This week, he made the surprising and bold decision to relocate the US embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, a move that’s long been considered by former presidents.
On top of that, it appears that Trump’s eyeing a foreign policy expert to add to his already impressive cabinet. This news comes with the speculation that the president’s interviewing candidates because Secretary of State Rex Tillerson may be forced out of the administration. The most prominent name of potential additions (or replacements) has an incredible amount of experience on the international scene and previously served as UN ambassador under Bush Jr.
As reported at the Hill, John Bolton’ scheduled to meet with President Trump on Thursday amidst rumors that Tillerson’s on the chopping block. However, the White House has tried to downplay the meeting, describing Bolton as merely a friend paying a visiting.
White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Bolton is simply “a friend of the president” and described the meeting as “nothing more than a check in and a friendly visit.”
The meeting is only adding fuel to the fire that suggests Tillerson will be replaced soon with CIA Director Mike Pompeo, which would of course leave the CIA directorship vacant.
After Trump won the election and was assembling his team, Bolton was considered for several high level positions, but he ultimately turned them all down. Bolton has been fairly supportive of Trump’s foreign policy strategies, and he praised his recent decision concerning the embassy move.
Bolton praised Trump for making a bold move “on the international stage, and on the domestic stage as well.” In the latter case, he said Trump is proving time again that he’s intent on keeping his campaign promises, of which moving the embassy was one.
Bolton would be a solid addition regardless of where he landed. Few have as much experience dealing with complex international issues as he does, and with all the foreign policy problems the US has to deal with in this day and age, you can never have too many qualified people to turn to for guidance.
Source: Hill