Former National Security Adviser John Bolton expressed disappointment after President Donald Trump revoked his Secret Service protection just hours into his second term. Bolton, who has faced ongoing threats from Iran due to his hardline foreign policy stance, confirmed the move to CNN on Tuesday, saying, "I am disappointed but not surprised that President Trump has made this decision."

Bolton's security detail was initially terminated after he left the Trump administration in 2019 but was reinstated by President Joe Biden in 2021. Biden's decision came after the Justice Department charged an Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps official in 2022 for allegedly plotting to assassinate Bolton, likely in retaliation for the 2020 U.S. killing of Iranian military leader Qasem Soleimani.

"The American people can judge for themselves which president made the right call," Bolton said, referencing Biden's restoration of his protection in light of persistent threats.

Bolton served as Trump's national security adviser from April 2018 until September 2019, when the president fired him over disagreements on foreign policy. Despite their collaboration, Bolton has since become a vocal critic of Trump, publishing a 2020 memoir that painted the former president as "woefully underinformed" on global issues and accused him of prioritizing media narratives over substantive policy.

The animosity between the two men escalated further with Trump's decision to revoke Bolton's security clearance through an executive order signed on Monday. The order also stripped clearances from 51 former intelligence officials, including ex-CIA Director John Brennan and former National Intelligence Director James Clapper. The action cited these officials' participation in a 2020 letter casting doubt on the Hunter Biden laptop story, which the Trump administration labeled as a "Russian disinformation campaign."

Trump defended his actions, stating on Truth Social in January 2023, "I found John Bolton to be one of the dumbest people in Government, but I am proud to say, I used him well."

Bolton, known for his hawkish stance on Iran, played a pivotal role in Trump's decision to withdraw from the 2015 nuclear deal in May 2018. The agreement had imposed restrictions on Iran's nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief. Trump's withdrawal and the subsequent assassination of Soleimani heightened tensions between the U.S. and Iran, placing Bolton among the officials targeted for retaliation.

In August 2022, the Justice Department accused a member of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of attempting to hire an assassin to kill Bolton. The plot underscored the enduring threats against him, even after his departure from the administration.

Bolton's concerns over his safety extend beyond himself. "That threat remains today," he said, noting the recent arrest of an individual accused of plotting Trump's assassination. He argued that the president's actions demonstrate a lack of understanding of the risks associated with revoking such protections.

The decision to terminate Bolton's Secret Service detail has drawn sharp criticism from national security experts. Many view it as a politicized move that undermines the broader effort to protect officials facing credible threats.