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Trump saw Venezuela as ‘really part of the US,’ thought invasion was ‘cool’ – but backtracked because of Putin, Bolton claims

The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of this site. This site does not give financial, investment or medical advice.

US President Donald Trump thought it would be “cool” to invade Venezuela but was persuaded not to by “Soviet-style propaganda” from Moscow, claims former national security adviser John Bolton in book excerpts leaked to the press.

Trump said invading Venezuela would be “cool” and described the South American country as “really part of the United States,” according to the Washington Post, one of three publications that were given access to some content from Bolton’s memoir, ‘The Room Where It Happened.’

The New York Times and the Wall Street Journal also received the leaks, giving them much publicity on Wednesday. The memoir was scheduled for publication on June 23, but has been held up by a lawsuit from the Trump administration, claiming that it still contains classified information.

Bolton, hired by Trump in April 2018, has been a hardline advocate of regime change in Iran but also one of the driving forces behind Washington’s push to oust Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. In January 2019, Trump recognized opposition politician Juan Guaido as Venezuela’s “interim president” at Bolton’s behest – only to have doubts a day later, according to the book, saying that Guaido looked “weak” and childish next to the “tough” Maduro.

Trump was “largely persuaded” against overthrowing Maduro after a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin in May 2019, Bolton claims, calling Putin’s comparison of Guaido to Trump’s 2016 rival Hillary Clinton a “brilliant display of Soviet-style propaganda,” according to the Post.

Whether Trump said any of that is questionable. His trade representative denied the claims Bolton had made about the president’s negotiations with China, for example. On the other hand, a couple of American mercenaries were captured in Venezuela last month in a botched attempt to infiltrate from Colombia.

Guaido has made several attempts to take power, including a botched military coup in April 2019, failing miserably every time.

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The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of this site. This site does not give financial, investment or medical advice.

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Charlie
June 18, 2020

This guy won’t testify under oath, but will testify in a book when there’s $$$

Correction
Correction
Reply to  Charlie
June 19, 2020

TestiLie, you mean. Pompeo himself was taking refresher courses in lying, cheating and stealing from the Bolton creep. No way suggesting Trump isn’t what he is but Bolton’s a cut below that even.

Hillary Redux
Hillary Redux
June 19, 2020

Trump saw an invasion as cool.
Bolton saw an air war as cooler.
 
I can see now how they bumped heads.

stupid dog tricks
stupid dog tricks
June 21, 2020

So, Bolton wants to exact revenge on Trump by claiming Putin is skilled at talking suicidal madmen off of window ledges?
 
Strange character, that Bolton. They should pickle him in a jar and donate him to the Smithsonian.

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