Show me the man and I will show you the crime” was Russian dictator Joseph Stalin’s sinister refrain. Inventing crimes to punish enemies was normal then. But, now, in our twisted times, a senior American official quotes this Stalinist saying to explain his “persecution” by the president.
The feud between President Donald Trump and John Bolton, who was national security adviser (NSA) in Trump’s first term, is emblematic of an abrasive era, where abuse drowns argument and personal pique overwhelms public propriety. Both are belligerent fighters. One is a tough guy with a thin skin and the other, a policy hawk with a rough tongue. To many, anti-Putin Bolton is a warmonger and regime-change fanatic.
Still, Bolton’s expertise on security matters runs deep. With a high regard for his own intellectual rigour, Bolton doesn’t suffer fools gladly. He is well known for his sneering put-downers. As Trump’s NSA, Bolton quickly lost patience with his boss’ style of functioning and thinking—or lack thereof. Trump says he fired him. Bolton says he resigned. Either way, they parted ways, their fights turning slanderous and scathing. In a Newsweek interview, Bolton derisively described Trump’s rambling, repetitive, unfocused thought-process as “a random walk that never stops”. He declared Trump “was not competent to be president”, that he envied world leaders like Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin, Kim Jong Un, but they saw him as a “laughing fool”.
Imaging: Deni Lal
Bolton’s tell-all book—The Room Where It Happened—mauls Trump, who promptly sprayed insults calling Bolton a “disgruntled boring fool” whose only foreign policy solution was “Gee, let’s go to war”. Bolton was either prophetic or he understood Trump well. In January 2024, in his book’s new edition, Bolton warned, “Trump really only cares about retribution for himself, and it will consume much of a second term.” Sure enough, in the election campaign, Trump vowed vengeance against his political enemies, thundering, “I am your warrior, I am your justice, I am your retribution.” Since his election victory, he has weaponised his government to witch hunt his “witch hunters”—all those liberals who mocked and shamed him, tried to impeach, fine and imprison him through court cases.
Bolton is accused of storing and sharing classified information with his wife and daughter. If convicted, he could get a 10-year jail term. Dismissals and court cases against Trump’s nemeses swells—people who investigated or prosecuted him for fraud, Russian links and abuse of power—in his first term. Accused Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer, “This is what tyranny looks like. Trump is using the justice department as his personal attack dog.” Unsurprisingly “No King” protests against Trump erupted on American streets.
Experts say these cases may fizzle in court, but Washington attorney Scott Bolden says Trump believes, “process is punishment”, that he wishes to inflict on his “tormentors” the same legal pain he suffered after his first term… he wants them jailed or at least endure the humiliation of being produced in court and incur exorbitant legal costs. Trump is prosecutor, jury and judge when it comes to his foes. About the officials facing his wrath in court, Trump posted on Truth Social, “They’re all guilty as hell. We can’t delay any longer. They impeached me twice, and indicted me (five times), over nothing. Nothing. Justice must be served now!”
In the Afghan tribal heartlands, wounded warlords wait for generations to wreak vengeance. Trump’s raging hurry contrasts with the congealed hatred of an old Pashtun proverb: “revenge is a dish best served cold”. Trump likes it hot. Served now.
Pratap is an author and journalist.