During an interview with CNN on Sunday, Jake Tapper, the host, confronted Bolton over his repeated calls to ouster Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, whom he calls a dictator. “I’d like to see as broad a coalition as we can put together to replace Maduro, to replace the whole corrupt regime, that’s what we are trying to do,” Bolton said.
“DON’T YOU SEE US SUPPORT FOR THE DICTATORS AROUND THE WORLD?”
Tapper noted that the US supports leaders that perpetrate human rights abuses in other parts of the world, including in Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the UAE. “Do you not see US support for other dictators around the world undermines the credibility of your argument?” he asked.
“No, I don’t think it does” Bolton answered and invoked the Monroe Doctrine to explain that it’s always been the goal of the Trump administration and other presidents to have a democratic Western Hemisphere, and that they will continue to push for an end to the Maduro regime.
Tapper also asked Bolton about Trump’s past public acceptance of denials from Putin and bin Salman. “He’s not saying he’s siding with dictators,” Bolton said, adding, “He has expressed his opinion about what they’ve said on these various points.”