Infographic

Bolton Only Made It 520 Days as National Security Advisor

This chart shows how that compares to the last 30 years of U.S. presidential security aides.

U.S. President Donald Trump’s former national security advisors Michael Flynn, H.R. McMaster, and John Bolton.
U.S. President Donald Trump’s former national security advisors Michael Flynn, H.R. McMaster, and John Bolton.
U.S. President Donald Trump’s former national security advisors Michael Flynn, H.R. McMaster, and John Bolton. Foreign Policy illustration/MANDEL NGAN/Andrew Harrer/Stephanie Keith/AFP/Getty Images

On Tuesday, U.S. President Donald Trump tweeted that he had asked John Bolton to resign as national security advisor.

On Tuesday, U.S. President Donald Trump tweeted that he had asked John Bolton to resign as national security advisor.

Since the administration of President George H.W. Bush, most national security advisor appointees have served for an entire presidential term—or at least for several years. But Bolton is the fourth person to hold the post during Trump’s two and a half years in office. (Michael Flynn and H.R. McMaster were appointed before him, and Keith Kellogg briefly served as an acting national security advisor between them.)

As seen in the chart below, Bolton’s 520 days in office—the longest of any of Trump’s national security advisors—still fall well short of James Jones, who was appointed by U.S. President Barack Obama and who held the role for the fewest number of days prior to Trump over the past three decades.


C.K. Hickey was the interactives and features designer at Foreign Policy from 2015-2020. Twitter: @seekayhickey

More from Foreign Policy

Children are hooked up to IV drips on the stairs at a children's hospital in Beijing.
Children are hooked up to IV drips on the stairs at a children's hospital in Beijing.

Chinese Hospitals Are Housing Another Deadly Outbreak

Authorities are covering up the spread of antibiotic-resistant pneumonia.

Henry Kissinger during an interview in Washington in August 1980.
Henry Kissinger during an interview in Washington in August 1980.

Henry Kissinger, Colossus on the World Stage

The late statesman was a master of realpolitik—whom some regarded as a war criminal.

A Ukrainian soldier in helmet and fatigues holds a cell phone and looks up at the night sky as an explosion lights up the horizon behind him.
A Ukrainian soldier in helmet and fatigues holds a cell phone and looks up at the night sky as an explosion lights up the horizon behind him.

The West’s False Choice in Ukraine

The crossroads is not between war and compromise, but between victory and defeat.

Illustrated portraits of Reps. MIke Gallagher, right, and Raja Krishnamoorthi
Illustrated portraits of Reps. MIke Gallagher, right, and Raja Krishnamoorthi

The Masterminds

Washington wants to get tough on China, and the leaders of the House China Committee are in the driver’s seat.