Bolton: Trump Cannot Have a 'Yes-Man' as Next Adviser

Former National Security Advisor Says Leader Needs Honest Advice

Former National Security Advisor John Bolton told CNN's Jake Tapper on Sunday that President Donald Trump cannot have a "yes-man" as his next national security advisor. Bolton's comments come after Trump fired former National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster last week.

Bolton said that Trump needs someone who will give him "honest advice," even if it is not what he wants to hear.

Bolton: 'You Need to Give the President Options'

"You need to give the president options," Bolton said. "You need to tell him what he needs to hear, not what he wants to hear."

Bolton also said that the next national security advisor should be someone who is "familiar with the world" and has "experience in dealing with foreign leaders."

Bolton's comments are in line with what other former national security officials have said about the importance of having an independent national security advisor.

In a recent op-ed in The Washington Post, former CIA Director Michael Hayden wrote that the national security advisor "must be an honest broker who can represent the views of the intelligence community and the military to the president, not just a 'yes-man' who tells the president what he wants to hear."

It remains to be seen who Trump will appoint as his next national security advisor. However, Bolton's comments suggest that the president is looking for someone who will be willing to challenge him and provide him with honest advice.