Former U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton. File
| Photo Credit: AP
U.S. Vice President J. D. Vance is trying to distance himself from President Donald Trump by blaming the Republicans’ midterm losses on the Iran war as he prepares for a potential 2028 Presidential bid, former U.S. national security adviser John Bolton has said.
In an interview with PTI Videos, Mr. Bolton described Mr. Vance’s remarks as “very wrong” and a “big political mistake”, saying the Republicans overlooked broader voter dissatisfaction with the economy, rising prices, and Mr. Trump’s tariff policies.
“There’s no doubt that part of the underlying reason for Mr. Vance’s statement was that this is the beginning of his 2028 nomination campaign. And he’s trying something very politically risky here,” he said.
Mr. Bolton argued that the Iran war was only one factor behind voter discontent, pointing out that Mr. Trump’s tariffs had contributed to persistently high prices.
He said Mr. Trump had promised during the 2024 Presidential campaign to address economic concerns better than the Biden administration, but had failed to deliver after taking office.
“The voters took him at his word. They said we have more faith that Mr. Trump can handle these issues than Mr. Biden and Ms. Harris. So he gets elected, he comes in, and he doesn’t do it. And if anything, he’s causing more problems,” the former U.S. NSA said.
Mr. Bolton also emphasised how the Iran war pushed up international oil and gas prices and increased energy costs for American consumers. “What they opposed was the higher price of gasoline. And Mr. Trump didn’t even attempt to address that,” he added.
He described the Democrats’ strong midterm performance as a “stinging repudiation” of Mr. Trump, saying voters across party lines were tired of his leadership, though the results did not necessarily amount to an endorsement of the blue team.
He also said Mr. Trump was unlikely to fundamentally change his leadership style during the remaining two years of his term, despite the electoral setback.
“Trump’s whole operating style for 10 years is: I don’t work with anybody. I represent the people, and I’m going to do what I want to do,” Mr. Bolton stated.
He further warned that a Democratic-controlled Congress could launch investigations into the Trump administration, including allegations of corruption, self-dealing and self-enrichment.
On U.S.-India ties, Mr. Bolton said domestic political turmoil in Washington could push foreign policy priorities to the sidelines, affecting discussions on defence cooperation and common security challenges in the Indo-Pacific.
“I would just be more afraid that, with all the domestic political turmoil we’re going to see in a second Trump term, foreign policy issues get lost in the shuffle. That’s a bigger risk, I think, than the last two years. I think the U.S. and India need to discuss major issues together. It goes well beyond disputes over trade and tariffs; how to deal with the common security threats we face along China’s Indo-Pacific periphery,” Mr. Bolton said.
Published – November 07, 2026 04:20 pm IST
