Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tx.) tweeted on Tuesday that he hopes “deep state forces” in the United States government were not to blame for President Donald Trump announcing that national security adviser John Bolton would be leaving the administration.
Trump made the announcement of Bolton’s departure on Twitter on Tuesday afternoon.
“I informed John Bolton last night that his services are no longer needed at the White House. I disagreed strongly with many of his suggestions, as did others in the Administration, and therefore….” the president tweeted, adding: “….I asked John for his resignation, which was given to me this morning. I thank John very much for his service. I will be naming a new National Security Advisor next week.”
I informed John Bolton last night that his services are no longer needed at the White House. I disagreed strongly with many of his suggestions, as did others in the Administration, and therefore….
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 10, 2019
….I asked John for his resignation, which was given to me this morning. I thank John very much for his service. I will be naming a new National Security Advisor next week.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 10, 2019
The news of Bolton’s departure seemed to impact Cruz, who lamented that his “friend” would be leaving Trump’s administration.
“John Bolton is a friend, and he has devoted his life to defending our national security, including providing wise counsel to multiple administrations,” Cruz wrote on Twitter.
He added, in a series of tweets:
“I sincerely hope his leaving the White House does not mean that the deep-state forces at State and Treasury—who have been fighting tooth and nail to preserve the Obama Iran nuclear deal—have finally convinced the president to go soft on Iran… Relaxing the maximum pressure strategy, which is succeeding in dramatically weakening the world’s leading state sponsor of terror, would be an enormous mistake… Additionally, enabling Europe to send an economic lifeline to the Ayatollah would return to Obama’s failed foreign policy and undo the single greatest national security victory of the Trump Administration.”
I sincerely hope his leaving the White House does not mean that the deep-state forces at State and Treasury—who have been fighting tooth and nail to preserve the Obama Iran nuclear deal—have finally convinced the president to go soft on Iran.
— Senator Ted Cruz (@SenTedCruz) September 10, 2019
Cruz’s fear of “deep state” interference at the State Department and Treasury Department regarding Iran was on display last week, according to Roll Call, where he told a conservative think tank that the deep state was “alive and well,” specifically in regards to trying to preserve parts of the nuclear deal former President Barack Obama made with the country and which was nixed by Trump.
While it’s not clear if it was a direct callout, right before Cruz made his claim about “State and Treasury,” Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Secretary of Treasury Steve Mnuchin gave a press conference at the White House.
In response to a question about whether Bolton’s firing changed the official White House position towards Iran, Mnuchin said that “Secretary Pompeo and myself and the President are completely aligned on our maximum pressure campaign. “
In late July, Cruz also issued an official statement about his “deep state” belief on his website, discussing their “involvement” in the Iran Nuclear Deal.
READ MORE: