Former National Security Advisor John Bolton referred to former President Donald Trump as a chicken for skipping this week’s Supreme Court hearing on arguments pertaining to his Colorado ballot ban.
Bolton chastised the former president during a protracted Tuesday night conversation about Trump’s numerous legal problems on CNN with anchor Kaitlan Collins.
Collins pointed out that Bolton is “perfect” to discuss Trump’s legal cases with—not just foreign policy—because he was previously President Ronald Reagan’s chief of the DOJ civil division.
After a lengthy discussion about this week’s D.C. appeals court ruling that Trump does not have immunity from prosecution, Collins asked if that case “goes to the Supreme Court.”
“Well, I don’t know, I think there are a lot of ways the court could split this,” Bolton replied, running through some scenarios.
Collins later pivoted to the Colorado case and noted, “CNN is reporting tonight that on Thursday, that’s when his legal team is going before the Supreme Court, a separate issue. But that’s on the 14th amendment. Whether he can be on the ballot in all 50 states, since some have tried to remove him and some have removed him, he’s not going to go.”
“What do you make of his decision? That he’s shown up to other court cases, but he’s not going to go to that one?” Collins asked.
“I think in this case, he’s worried that he’s outnumbered 9 to 1. It’s not just some district judge somewhere, some state court judge in New York. This is the Supreme Court. This is the third branch of government sitting in front of him, three of whose members he appointed. And I think he thinks maybe a little overawed by that. I think he’s chickening out here,” Bolton replied.
“How does he view the Supreme Court? I mean, you worked for him,” Collins followed up.
“I don’t think he understands the Supreme Court much better than he understands most of the rest of the Constitution. And I think those who think that his appointees will just do what he wants and are afraid that I don’t think they know, really, the kinds of justices he appointed. I think he’s going to be disappointed in them,” Bolton concluded.
