John Bolton reveals why Trump 'lies a lot' as he fact-checks his Mar-a-Lago press meet

John Bolton said that Donald Trump exists in a personal bubble where the distinction between truth and lies has become irrelevant to him
UPDATED AUG 9, 2024
John Bolton claimed that Donald Trump has become detached from the reality (CNN/Getty Images)
John Bolton claimed that Donald Trump has become detached from the reality (CNN/Getty Images)

WASHINGTON, DC: Former national security advisor John Bolton delivered a scathing critique of his ex-boss, former President Donald Trump, asserting that he has become so detached from reality that he can no longer differentiate between facts and falsehoods.

According to Bolton, Trump exists in a personal bubble where the distinction between truth and lies has become irrelevant to him.

John Bolton suggests Trump’s press conference reflects preparations for 2024 election loss

John Bolton’s remarks were in response to Donald Trump's hour-long press conference on Thursday, broadcast from Mar-a-Lago.

During the event, Trump vehemently criticized Democrats and the media and even challenged Vice President Kamala Harris to three debates.

WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 14: U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris delivers remarks at the start of a round
Donald Trump challenged VP Kamala Harris to three debates during a Mar-a-Lago press conference (Getty Images)

Bolton suggested that Trump is already preparing justifications for a potential loss in the 2024 election.

Kaitlan Collins highlights discrepancies in Trump’s claims about Hillary Clinton

CNN host Kaitlan Collins questioned Bolton about Trump’s claims from the press conference, specifically regarding Trump’s alleged past protection of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Trump had remarked, “I was very protective of her. Nobody would understand that, but I was I think my people understand it. They used to say, ‘Lock her up, lock her up,’ but I’d say just, ‘Relax, please.'”

Former President Donald Trump listens as his attorney Todd Blanche speaks during a press conference at 40 Wall Street after a pre-trial hearing on March 25, 2024 in New York City. Judge Juan Merchan scheduled Trump's criminal trial to begin on April 15, which would make it the first criminal prosecution of a former American president. Trump was charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records last year, which prosecutors say was an effort to hide a potential sex scandal, both before and after the 2016 election. (Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
CNN’s Kaitlan Collins questioned Donald Trump’s contradictory claims about protecting Hillary Clinton(Michael M Santiago/Getty Images)

To highlight the disparity between Trump’s current claims and his past statements, Collins played clips from the 2016 election where Trump called Clinton “guilty as hell” and advocated for her incarceration.

John Bolton criticizes Donald Trump’s confusion between truth and falsehood

In one clip, Donald Trump said, “Folks honestly, she’s guilty as hell,” and in another, he stated, “I think she should be in jail. She should be locked up.”

John Bolton responded to these clips by emphasizing that Trump’s inability to distinguish truth from falsehood goes beyond just frequent lying.



 

Bolton argued, “Trump can’t tell the difference between what’s true and what’s false. It’s not that he lies a lot because to lie, you have to do it consciously."

"He just can’t tell the difference. So he makes up what he wants to say at any given time. If it happens to comport with what everybody else sees, well, that’s fine," he continued.

"And if it doesn’t comport with anybody else, he doesn’t really care and he’s had decades of getting away with it. So in his mind, the truth is whatever he wants it to be. And that’s what you heard today,” Bolton added.

GET BREAKING U.S. NEWS & POLITICAL UPDATES
STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX.

MORE STORIES

The president also said that the White House ballroom will be the greatest in the world.
25 minutes ago
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Donald Trump said those 'big boats' would begin rolling through the narrow shipping lane starting Monday
1 hour ago
Trump also claimed that Chuck Schumer and Democrats are opposing the act because it will take away their ability to cheat in elections.
1 hour ago
Donald Trump said coordination with Benjamin Netanyahu is 'very close' and highlighted strong support he receives from the Israeli public
1 hour ago
Trump links the Obama-era nuclear deal to Iran’s current tensions, arguing his withdrawal blocked Tehran’s path to nuclear weapons
1 hour ago
In a written testimony to a Senate committee, Tulsi Gabbard stated that Iran had made no efforts to rebuild its nuclear enrichment capability
1 hour ago
Trump said the US is engaging with new Iranian figures after military strikes weakened Tehran’s leadership structure
1 hour ago
The US Senator believes Trump was misled into launching operation against Iran by some aggressive people.
2 hours ago
The NYT report that angered Karoline Leavitt highlighted multiple concerns regarding the ballroom’s design as well as the rapid pace of its planning.
2 hours ago
Himes argued Trump fabricated Iran negotiations as oil prices climbed and markets slid during escalating Middle East tensions
3 hours ago