John Bolton declares Mike Pompeo ‘delusional’ — and says he ‘eviscerated his credibility internationally’

On CNN Tuesday, President Donald Trump's former National Security Adviser John Bolton tore into Secretary of State Mike Pompeo for his claim that "There will be a smooth transition to a second Trump administration."

"That sounds like something we might hear in Russia, not here in the United States of America," said anchor Wolf Blitzer. "How dangerous is this?"

"Well, I think it's delusional for Mike to say that, and I must say, I think he has eviscerated his credibility internationally because I think there are very few people, even in the United States government, who believe that is the case," said Bolton. "I don't know why he had to have that briefing and I don't know why he felt he needed to make that statement, maybe other than to avoid being fired like others are being throughout the administration. But it's delusional."

"This isn't just about President Trump pouting about the results, but he is preventing the president-elect of the United States getting intelligence briefings and blocking the start of the formal transition," said Blitzer. "At what point does this refusal to concede create, potentially, a national security threat?"

"I don't think we are there at this moment but, you know, this reflects a fundamental flaw in the president transition law," said Bolton. "The idea that the administrator of GSA is going to make the decision to whom to give access to transition materials, that needs to be fixed next year."

"Reasonable people ought to be able to work out a way here for the protection of the American people, even if you say we still think Trump is going to win, you have to admit there is at least a possibility Biden might win," said Bolton. "We need to make sure both of them are prepared on national security matters, for sure, and honestly on the coronavirus pandemic, which is the major domestic issue we have. So a reasonable person in the Oval Office today would do that ... I don't think Trump will do that, but that is what a good president would do."

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