Overview

• President Donald Trump revoked John Bolton's Secret Service protection shortly after being sworn in for his second term, citing the belief that such protection should not be indefinite.
• Bolton, a former national security adviser, has faced credible threats from Iran, including a 2022 plot by an Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps member to assassinate him.
• Bolton criticized the move, calling it politically motivated and contrasting it with President Biden’s decision to reinstate his protection in 2021 due to the ongoing threats.
• Former Trump adviser David Urban and others have argued that the U.S. has an obligation to protect individuals who face threats for their service to the nation.
• Trump defended his decision, describing Bolton as a “dumb person” and asserting that providing lifetime security for former officials is unnecessary.