Former National Security Adviser John Bolton, now a vocal critic of the US President, claimed that Donald Trump is “probably in panic mode” amid the ongoing crisis involving two downed US aircraft and a missing pilot in Iran.
On Friday, two American warplanes were shot down in separate incidents, prompting a high-risk search and rescue operation to locate the F-15 crew member forced to eject behind enemy lines.
Meanwhile, a Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II was reportedly hit in the Persian Gulf, though its pilot was rescued after reaching Kuwaiti airspace, officials said.
Trump has not made a public appearance since addressing the nation late on Wednesday. On Saturday morning, he warned Iran via Truth Social that “time is running out,” reinforcing the administration’s ultimatum regarding the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
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The Independent reported, Bolton told CNN’s Kaitlan Collins: “It sounds to me like he’s probably back in a panic mode.”
“Wishing he could find a way to declare victory and get out of this war, regardless of whether or not he opens the Strait of Hormuz before he does it.”
Since his dismissal in 2019, Bolton has criticised the President and accused the administration of failing to make effective decisions in the lead-up to the conflict.
The President previously claimed that Iran’s anti-aircraft defences were destroyed, while Pete Hegseth stated that U.S. forces had “dominated the skies” during Operation Epic Fury. Bolton told Collins that Friday’s events, along with earlier assertions by the administration, “undermine the credibility of the White House.”
Bolton added: “I think if there had been an effective decision-making process before the war started and these concerns were raised and they bothered the President, he had the option then not to initiate the attack. But apparently he was satisfied.”
