The Room Where It Happened

by John Bolton;

  and Syria, 40, 131, 192, 194, 195, 196, 201, 202, 204, 206, 207, 213, 217, 383

  Trump views about, 40, 196, 199, 208, 217

  and Turkey, 194, 196, 199, 208

  and US loyalty to Kurds, 193

  Islamic Revolution, 66

  Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, 19, 26, 27, 363–64

  Islamic terrorism beginning of, 183

  See also specific person or organization

  Israel Bolton and, 20–21, 28, 75, 205, 409, 463

  and Golan Heights, 150

  and Iran, 21, 28, 50, 71, 75, 132, 150, 170, 190, 372, 389, 409, 420, 422

  Jerusalem as capital of, 21, 27, 28

  and Lebanon, 419, 420, 421

  and Palestinians, 21, 75

  and Putin-Trump Helsinki meeting, 155

  and Russia, 132, 190

  and Syria, 28, 46, 49, 50, 71, 132, 150, 155, 170, 196, 372, 419, 420, 421

  Trump-Bolton discussions about, 21

  and Turkey, 186, 187

  US embassy in, 21, 27, 28

  See also Middle East; specific person

  Italy, 368–69

  Ivanov, Igor, 128, 166

  Japan Bolton trip to, 355–56

  and China, 302, 307

  and cost of US military bases, 336, 337, 351, 355, 356, 359, 465

  economy of, 61–62, 359

  and Europe/European Union, 389

  and “food for oil” idea, 389, 393

  G20 Summit in (2019), 312, 313, 385, 463

  and INF Treaty, 160

  and Iran, 368–69, 389

  and Kokuka Courageous attack, 391–92

  Moon-Trump discussion about, 339–40

  oil and, 368–69, 394

  and Persian Gulf War, 209

  South Korea relations with, 339, 355, 356–58, 360

  and trade issues, 61–62, 101, 102, 357

  and transcript of Xi Jinping “comments” to Kim Jong Un, 122

  Trump trips to, 343–45, 384, 462

  Trump views about, 62

  and US–South Korea war games, 114

  withdrawal of US troops from, 359

  and World War II issues, 302, 339, 356

  See also Abe, Shinzo; Japan—and North Korea

  Japan—and North Korea Abe-Trump discussions/meeting about, 61, 62, 65, 79–80, 342–43

  and Abe visit to Iran, 389

  and Japan–South Korea relations, 356–57

  and Japanese hostages in North Korea, 79, 81–82, 108, 113, 122, 325, 344, 345

  and Kim Jong Un–Trump Singapore Summit, 78–79, 81, 82, 83, 91, 93, 100, 108, 113, 114

  and North Korea nuclear/ballistic weapons, 23, 28, 79–80, 81, 82, 119, 326, 328, 340–43, 344, 345

  and North Korea–South Korea relations, 78

  and sanctions on North Korea, 99, 345–46

  Javelin Literary, 488

  Jefferson, Thomas, 494

  Jeffrey, Jim, 205, 207, 209

  Johnson, Boris, 45, 46, 72–73, 307, 414, 419, 439

  Johnson, Lyndon, 7

  Johnson, Ron, 462, 463, 478

  Joint Chiefs of Staff, 38, 49–50, 151, 190, 193, 396

  Joint North-South Declaration (1992), 330

  Jones, James, 37

  Jordan, 209–10

  Juncker, Jean Claude, 140, 142

  Justice Department, US Brunson case and, 186

  and China, 290, 294

  and discord/dysfunctionality in Trump Administration, 227, 228, 230

  and Foreign Terrorist Organization label, 364

  GRU indictments and, 149

  Halkbank case and, 185, 469

  immigration issues and, 227, 228, 230

  and impeachment proceeding, 485

  and media, 433

  and sanctions, 367

  Trump comments about, 191

  and Ukraine, 448, 474

  and Venezuela, 270

  Yovanovitch and, 457

  Kalin, Ibrahim, 52, 53

  Kang Kyung-wha, 89, 92, 338

  Karzai, Hamid, 426, 494

  Kashmir, 435

  Kavanaugh, Brett, 21, 137, 138, 142, 143, 226

  Keane, Jack, 44, 198, 432

  Kellogg, Keith, 14, 143, 215, 252, 432

  Kelly, John and Afghanistan, 215, 219–20

  appointed White House Chief of Staff, 24

  and Brennan security clearance, 225

  and Chief of Staff as “yes man,” 245

  and China-US relations, 29

  and cybersecurity/meddling in US elections, 158

  discord/dysfunctionality in Trump Administration and, 223–33, 237–45

  and G7 meeting, 103, 104

  Grisham views about, 245

  Haley resignation and, 239

  immigration issues and, 227–28, 229, 230, 231–32

  INF Treaty and, 172

  and Iran, 190

  and Kim Jong Un–Trump meetings, 86, 88, 91, 94–97, 98, 104, 106, 110, 113, 120, 125

  and Kim Yong Chol–Trump meeting, 95, 96, 97

  Kushner and, 240

  Macron state dinner and, 70

  Mattis and, 237

  McCain funeral and, 226

  and McGahn-Trump relationship, 226–27

  McMaster and, 59

  Mnuchin and, 240, 241

  and NATO-Trump relations, 137, 139, 142

  Nielsen and, 227–28, 229, 232

  and North Korea media attack on Pence, 91

  and North Korea–US relations, 29, 31

  NSC and, 34

  and Pompeo trip to North Korea, 117

  and Putin-Trump Helsinki meeting, 128, 153, 155, 157

  and Rand Paul, 67

  resignation/firing of, 25, 86, 157, 158, 228, 232–33, 240, 242, 244, 245

  responsibilities of, 59

  Ricardel and, 237–38, 241, 242, 243

  and Russian meddling in US elections, 157

  and Sadler-McCain incident, 86

  and Scaramucci firing, 24

  “shouting match” with, 232

  and son’s death, 225, 233

  successor for, 244

  and Summit of the Americas, 49

  and Syria debate, 51, 58

  and Venezuela, 225, 249

  See also Kelly, John—and Bolton; Kelly, John—and Trump

  Kelly, John—and Bolton and Bolton access to Trump, 24

  and Bolton briefings of Trump, 62

  Bolton discussions with, 27–28, 40, 41

  Bolton relationship with, 29–30, 35, 40, 41, 45

  and Bolton role in Trump Administration, 28, 31, 32, 34, 35

  and Bolton-Trump relationship, 29–30, 40, 41, 99, 128

  and Bolton views about State Department, 29

  and McMaster comment about Bolton, 59

  and Paul’s views about Bolton, 67

  Kelly, John—and Trump and crisis prediction about Trump, 232, 245, 403, 407

  and resignation/firing of Kelly, 25, 86, 157, 158, 228, 232–33, 240, 242, 244, 245

  and Trump daily schedule, 223–24

  Trump relationship with, 225–26, 242

  and Trump trip to France, 241–42, 243

  and Trump visit to Scottish golf course, 150

  and Trump visits to Afghanistan and Iraq, 220

  and Trump-women relationships, 87–88

  and US withdrawal from Middle East, 190

  Kelly, Karen, 70

  Kent, George, 454, 460

  Kerch Strait incident (November 25, 2018), 448–54, 459, 465, 466, 471, 474

  Kerry, John, 69, 248, 255, 354, 375–76, 383, 386, 388, 393, 394, 400, 401, 411, 412, 413

  Khalilzad, Zalmay Bolton meeting with, 213–14, 428–29, 435–36

  and Taliban negotiations, 214, 215, 218, 220, 221, 423, 424, 428–30, 431, 434–39

  Trump comments about, 215, 217, 218

  Khamenei, Ayatollah, 363, 392–93, 410, 414

  Khan, A. Q., 28

  Khan Shaykhun, Syria attack at, 43–44

  Khashoggi (Jamal) murder, 1
70, 231, 233–36

  Khomchak, Ruslan, 472–73

  Kilmeade, Brian, 437

  Kim Hyok Chol, 320, 332

  Kim Il Sung, 33

  Kim Jong Il, 80, 81

  Kim Jong Un Abe views about, 340, 342

  Battulga views about, 360

  Bolton meeting with, 112

  Bolton transcript of Xi Jinping “comments” to, 121–23

  Bolton views about, 31, 112–13, 125, 186, 352

  Bush 43 comment about, 332

  and denuclearization of North Korea, 79, 81, 83, 84, 89, 90, 113, 125

  elections of 2020 and, 361

  and Iran, 376

  legitimizing of, 77, 89

  letters between Trump and, 95, 96, 98, 120, 125, 320, 345, 353

  Moon Jae-in summit/meetings with, 80–81, 92–93, 110, 125

  murder of half brother of, 180

  and nuclear/ballistic weapons, 31, 333, 343

  and Pompeo trip to North Korea, 118, 120, 125

  proposed Moon meeting with, 319, 333

  as “rocket man,” 111, 118

  and sanctions on North Korea, 31, 125, 342, 345

  tactics of, 371, 384

  Trump post-Singapore meeting with, 120, 125

  Trump proposed meetings with, 33, 352

  Trump relationship with, 96–97, 109, 118, 120, 121, 124, 125, 322, 333, 335, 341, 343–44, 345, 346, 361, 371, 384

  Trump views about, 78, 106, 109, 116, 186, 361, 434

  and US–South Korea military exercises, 342, 355

  Xi Jinping and, 80, 121–23

  See also Kim Jong Un–Trump DMZ Summit; Kim Jong Un–Trump Hanoi Summit; Kim Jong Un–Trump Singapore Summit

  Kim Jong Un–Trump DMZ Summit (2019) Bolton absence from, 352

  discussions at, 352–53

  “formal” invitation for, 347

  New York Times story about, 352–53

  preparations for, 347

  proposal for, 319, 346–47

  as trilateral meeting with Moon, 338, 340, 347, 348–49, 351

  Trump views about, 355

  Kim Jong Un–Trump Hanoi Summit (2019) Bolton views about, 331–32

  dinner at, 325

  and “I walk” outcome, 324, 327, 331, 332, 333, 353

  Kim-Trump discussions at, 326, 327–30

  and Kim’s “wild cards,” 323

  mistakes made at, 331–32

  Moon concerns about, 338

  punishment for North Koreans following, 332, 333

  reactions to, 332–33, 338, 340

  and reunification of North and South Korea, 328

  statements from, 323, 329–30

  Trump briefings for, 320–23, 325, 331

  Trump views about, 321, 324, 340

  White House Statement about, 331

  and Yongbyon nuclear facilities, 325, 327, 328, 329, 330, 331, 332

  Kim Jong Un–Trump Singapore Summit (2018) arrival ceremony for, 108–9

  and bilateral US–North Korea DMZ Summit, 98

  Bolton inclusion/exclusion in, 99

  Bolton-Trump discussion about, 94

  and Bolton-Trump relationship, 87

  Bolton views about, 77, 92, 94, 95, 107, 112–13, 116, 124–25

  “cancellation”/postponement of, 85, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91–92, 93

  and China, 83–84, 105

  communiqué from, 107, 111

  and denuclearization of North Korea, 92–93, 94, 97, 107, 108, 109, 111, 113

  and ending of Korean War, 89, 98, 100, 107, 108

  and G7 meeting, 104–5

  invitation for, 78

  and Japan, 78, 81–82, 83, 91, 93, 100, 108, 113, 114

  Kim Jong Un arrival at, 105

  and Kim Jong Un letter, 95, 96, 98

  Kim Jong Un views about, 92–93

  Kim-Trump meeting at, 106, 109–13

  and Kim Yong Chol–Trump meeting, 94–96, 99

  leaks about, 110

  and Moon Jae-in, 81, 83, 84, 87, 89–90, 91, 92–93, 97, 100, 107

  and NSC “recruitment” video, 107, 111, 113

  preparations for, 34, 62, 79, 80, 81, 83–84, 86, 87, 92–93, 102

  reactions to, 113–16, 119–20

  and release of US hostages, 79, 88

  results of, 119–20

  and return of US Korean War remains, 108, 112

  signing ceremony for, 113

  Singapore as location for, 81, 82

  “six p.m. text” and, 107

  South Korea and, 78, 81, 83–84, 87, 89, 91, 92–93, 95, 100, 114

  as trilateral, 89, 95, 100, 107

  Trump arrival at, 104, 105

  Trump departure from, 113

  Trump views about, 34, 88, 89, 90–92, 93, 94, 98, 105–6, 107, 113, 114, 116, 124

  US mistakes at, 106

  and US–South Korea war games, 85, 97, 110, 111, 113

  Kim Yo Jong, 30

  Kim Yong Chol forced labor for, 332

  and Kim Jong Un letter to Trump, 320

  and Kim Jong Un–Trump Hanoi Summit, 326, 327, 330

  and Kim Jong Un–Trump Singapore Summit, 92, 94–96, 99, 108, 110

  Moon comments about, 125

  and Pompeo trip to North Korea, 117

  Trump meetings with, 94–96, 99, 319–20

  Kirkpatrick, Jeane, 64, 236

  Kislyak, Sergei, 12

  Kissinger, Henry, 7, 12, 15, 21, 37, 133, 143, 305

  Klimkin, Pavlo, 447

  Knight, Shahira, 178

  Kokuka Courageous (tanker): attack on, 391–92

  Kolomoisky, Igor, 448, 455, 459, 473

  Korean War ending of, 89, 98, 100, 107, 108, 120, 322

  return of US remains from, 108, 112, 122

  Trump-Bolton discussion about, 210

  Krauthammer, Charles, 8

  Kudlow, Larry Abe-Trump discussions and, 65

  and China, 290, 297, 299

  and coronavirus pandemic, 315

  decision-making on trade issues and, 68

  G7 Meetings and, 103, 104, 105, 416–17

  and global oil supply, 367–68

  health of, 108

  named chairman of National Economic Council, 33

  Sunday talk shows and, 420–21

  and Venezuela, 252, 254, 269

  Kupperman, Charles and Afghanistan, 430, 431, 437, 439, 440

  and attack on tankers near Strait of Hormuz, 377, 378

  and Bolton airplane, 481

  and Bolton-Trump relationship, 418, 481

  and coronavirus pandemic, 317

  and impeachment proceedings, 486–87

  and Iran, 377, 378, 384, 388, 391, 403, 404, 405

  and Kim Jong Un–Trump meeting, 320

  and MQ-9 drone attack, 418

  named Deputy National Security Advisor, 39

  and North Korea–US agreement, 323, 324

  and shooting of drone in Yemen, 388

  trade meetings and, 460

  and Ukraine, 462, 465, 471, 478

  Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), 192, 194

  Kurds and Erdogan, 202, 204

  in Iraq, 190, 365

  in Syria, 192–93, 194, 195, 199, 202, 204, 205, 206–7, 208–9, 314

  Trump views about, 195, 199, 206, 207, 208

  and Turkey, 192, 195, 196, 199, 202, 204, 207, 208–9

  US loyalty to, 193, 195, 314

  US training of, 194

  Kushner, Jared Bolton and, 7–8, 15, 16, 25, 27, 30, 33, 57

  and China, 296, 299, 305

  Comey firing and, 20

  elections of 2020 and, 200

  and Haley successor, 239

  immigration issues and, 229, 230, 231–32

  and Iran, 25, 420, 421–22

  Israel-Palestinian relations and, 21

  Kelly and, 240

  and Khashoggi affair, 233–34

  Middle East peace plan of, 25, 27, 30, 33

  Mulvaney appointment and, 245

  and Netanyahu-Trump call, 420

  and
North Korea, 352

  security clearance for, 240

  and South Korea, 349

  and Syria, 45, 46

  and Turkey, 187

  Zarif-Trump meeting and, 420

  Kuwait, 209, 366

  Kyl, Jon, 448

  LaCamera, Paul, 201, 202, 203

  Lam, Carrie, 310

  Lavrov, Sergei, 20, 129, 130, 166, 168, 181

  Law of the Sea Convention, 173

  Laxalt, Paul, 3

  Le Drian, Jean-Yves, 422, 463

  Le Maire, Bruno, 412, 416, 421

  Lebanon attack on Marine barracks in (1983), 375, 394

  Bolton “pro-American” policy toward, 5

  and Iran-US relations, 19

  Israeli air strikes in, 419, 420, 421

  Quds force in, 363

  Lee Hsien Loong, 106

  Leon, Richard, 487

  Lerner, Jon, 65

  Levin, Mark, 415

  Libby, Scooter: pardon for, 59

  Libya, 22, 79, 82, 87

  Lighthizer, Bob and China, 290, 292, 293, 296, 298–99, 300, 303, 304, 305, 306

  professional background of, 68

  Sunday talk shows and, 420–21

  trade issues and, 68, 460

  and Trump’s Japan trip, 347

  Lima Group, 254, 256, 268

  Liu Changming, 298

  Liu He, 296, 299–301, 302

  Liu, Victor and Cynthia: as hostages of China, 298, 301, 302–3

  Logan Act, 375–76, 383, 388, 394, 400, 401, 412

  London: May-Trump meeting (2017) in, 127, 147–49

  Lopez, Leopoldo, 279, 280, 281

  Lowry, Rich, 24

  Lukashenko, Alexander, 476

  Lukoil, 262

  Lutsenko, Yuriy, 447

  Maas, Heiko, 162, 463

  MacCallum, Martha, 36, 90

  Macron, Emmanuel and Abe-Iran discussions, 387, 389

  Bolton views about, 421

  “four pillars” framework of, 69, 73

  G7 meeting and, 102, 103

  and Iran, 69, 70, 73, 74, 141–42, 371, 387–88, 392, 411–13, 414, 415, 416, 417, 418, 419–20, 421

  leaks from, 141

  and NATO, 141–42

  Putin and, 59, 417

  and Syria, 45, 49, 50, 51–52, 57, 59, 60, 134, 196

  trade/economic issues and, 70, 102

  Trump comments/views about, 102, 141–42, 413, 416