While President Jimmy Carter has, of course, not been an advocate of many of Donald Trump’s ideas and public statements, he has been more than generous in regards to the contentious president.
Former President Jimmy Carter sharply criticized President Trump's decision to appoint John Bolton as national security adviser, calling the move "maybe one of the worst mistakes that President Trump has made since he's been in office" https://t.co/bTDPq7Gn3H pic.twitter.com/3kD25OWnyH
— CNN (@CNN) March 27, 2018
For instance, Carter told an interviewer on CBS’s Sunday Morning in regards to the investigation into the alleged collusion between Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign and Russian government operatives, as well as the growing opposition to Trump by the voting public, that:
‘My own preference would be that he not be impeached, but that he be able to serve out his term, because I think he wants to do a good job. And I’m willing to help him, if I can help him, and give him the benefit of the doubt.’
However, President Carter is not afraid to call Trump out when he feels the president is guiding the country in the wrong direction. As a long-time advocate of pacifism and diplomacy over war and aggression, Carter is vehemently opposed to Trump’s replacement of H.R. McMaster as national security advisor with former U.S. ambassador and Fox News contributor John Bolton.
In an interview with USA Today, Carter said:
‘I think John Bolton is a disaster for our country. Maybe one of the worst mistakes that President Trump has made since he’s been in office is the appointment of John Bolton.’
Jimmy Carter thinks Trump may have made “one of the worst mistakes” of his tenure by naming John Bolton to the sensitive post of national security adviser. https://t.co/o9AJqtPjst
— USA TODAY (@USATODAY) March 26, 2018
Carter’s criticism stems from a characterization of Bolton as a “a warlike figure” bent on leading through aggression instead of promoting peaceful resolutions. While the former Democratic president acknowledged that he has never personally met with Kim Jong-un, his previous efforts to negotiate with leaders in North Korea have ended in successful and peaceful resolutions.
Carter also said that reaching a deal with North Korea without threats of violence and war would be beneficial to the United States and that an understanding of their government’s stance is necessary moving forward.
‘What the North Koreans have wanted for a long time is just assurance confirmed by the Six Powers Agreement — with China and Russia and Japan and South Korea and so forth — that the United States will not attack North Korea as long as North Korea stays at peace with its neighbors…If a deal can be confirmed by the constant inspections of the International Atomic Energy Agency, yes, it certainly would be [a deal worth making].’
The popular political figure has offered to represent the U.S. in diplomatic meetings with leaders in North Korea.
Featured image via Getty/WPA Pool
