Bolton: Why a Trump acquittal would be worst-case scenario

 

There's new

evidence tonight

that the January

six federal grand

jury has more work

ahead, even as Donald Trump

is clearly bracing for the likelihood

he'll be indicted again.

Joining us now, the former Trump

national security adviser,

the former U.S.

ambassador to the United Nations,

John Bolton.

Ambassador, thanks for joining us.

I know you've said

that the worst outcome for the country

would be a Trump acquittal

in any of these cases.

Why do you believe that?

And how likely is that in your view

Well, the the man

the mandate

that the various prosecutors

have is to bring cases where they feel

they can prove beyond a reasonable doubt

that the defendant is guilty.

And I hope in all the cases that are

either have been brought

or being considered,

they believe a lot more strongly

than that, that there's no doubt at all

it's beyond a reasonable doubt,

because if Trump is acquitted in

any of the cases,

he will argue this proves his point,

that this was all political persecution,

that it was a witch hunt.

And and that will benefit him

in his search

for the Republican nomination

for president.

And I think it will benefit him

in the general election.

I think it's very important

to get some of these cases anyway

brought to trial before the election.

But the stakes are high.

If Trump is convicted

I think that will be an earthquake

that could stop him

from getting the presidency.

If he's acquitted,

as I say, he could go all the way.

I want you to watch

and listen

to what Republican presidential candidate

Chris Christie told me yesterday

here in The Situation Room

about the possibility

of a third Trump indictment.

Listen to this.

Short term gain, long term pain

in the short term.

What it does is people

rally around their team, Wolf.

And we've seen this happen

many times before.

When there's a crisis,

you rally around your team.

And that's with a lot of folks

who have in support

of Donald Trump are doing.

But long term,

I think

if there are

additional indictments to come,

this is a lot of weight

for anybody

to be carrying around their neck

as a general election candidate.

For president, United States

or as a primary candidate.

I know, Ambassador,

you say these indictments

have boosted Trump's support,

at least right now.

But do you see that

changing as his legal troubles

play out in 20, 24?

I do not.

I once did.

I once thought

there's going to be somebody

rocks in the bottom of his boat.

So many legal troubles

that it will sink him.

I don't think that's the case.

I think the only thing that matters now

is to get one or more of the real cases,

not the New York case,

but the two federal cases

and possibly

the Georgia case

to trial before the election

and get convictions.

Everything else

that people are talking about, in my view

on the legal side, is, Niffenegger,

if you don't get these cases

to trial

before the election,

the federal cases are going to disappear.

And the state cases

may proceed that that is true.

But whether Trump pays

any attention to him

if the verdict is the wrong way

is a different question.

It's a constitutional crisis.

I think the stakes are that high

that the certainly

on the federal

investigation side,

every effort has got to be made

to get these cases to trial.

And that's why

I think on the

so-called January

the sixth case, we'll see

when the indictment comes out.

I think the first indictment

against Trump will be tailored

narrowly

with the objective

of getting a trial before the election.

And I think that's the right approach.

We shall see.

While I have you, Ambassador,

a quick question.

As the former national security adviser

that would be you.

I also want

your analysis of the American soldier

who crossed into North Korea.

What do you believe may have spurred him

Well, you know, this is the

worst mistake this young man ever made.

Whatever his motive was,

maybe he thought he could escape

punishment or discharge

dishonorably from the military

by not coming back to the United States.

He's now

in the hands of the North Koreans.

It's hard

to imagine a worse place

other than maybe Taliban or al Qaeda

I don't know what condition

he's ever going to come back in.

The tragedy of Otto Warmbier

tells us that

that there's a real prospect

he may not come back at all.

Or the North

Koreans will use him

for a bargaining chip.

It was an incredibly foolish thing to do.

Now, that said,

we've still got an obligation

to get him back

unless he renounces his citizenship.

The military wants him

for disciplinary proceedings

now, possibly including desertion.

So I think we ought to go

to the North Koreans and say

answer your phone.

We want this fellow back.

Civilized nations would exchange,

would bring this prisoner back.

Whether the North Koreans.

Well is an open question.

We shall see.

John Bolton, thanks very

much for joining us.