Back to John Bolton
scandal framing-0.09Declining tone

Threats and Security Risks

The recurring narrative surrounding John Bolton focuses on the serious threats he faces, particularly from Iran, which have been amplified by his past foreign policy decisions. This theme persists due to ongoing geopolitical tensions and the implications of U.S. military actions, framing Bolton as a figure caught in a dangerous political landscape. Media coverage often highlights the intersection of personal safety and national security, raising concerns about the risks faced by former officials in the current political climate.

23
Episodes
3% of all coverage
Sep 2025 – Aug 2026
Active Period
4
Positive episodes
7
Negative episodes

Coverage Over Time

Monthly episode count — bar color reflects average sentiment that month

Framing Breakdown

1 eps
Scandal52%
Policy39%
Character9%

By Show

14 shows — bar width = volume, color = tone

Brian Kilmeade Show
neutral5
Tony Katz + The Morning News (WIBC, conservative-leaning)
neutral4
Deadline: White House
neutral2
The Howie Carr Radio Network
negative1
The Chris Plante Show (WMAL 105.9)
negative1
O'Connor & Company (WMAL 105.9)
negative1
The Joyce Kaufman Show
negative1
Chicago's Morning Answer with Dan Proft
neutral1
Mark Levin Podcast
positive1
The Dan Bongino Show
positive1
Rational Security (Lawfare)
neutral1
Verdict with Ted Cruz
neutral1
NPR Sunday Story
negative1
Rachel Maddow (MSNBC)
neutral1
PositiveNeutralNegative

Quotes from Coverage

3 pages
12 quotes

Labeled by who's speaking — John Boltonvs. a host/other voice, and flagged where the source didn't specify. Don't attribute an “other” or unverified quote to John Bolton.

Host / other voice

In 2022, a member of Iran's Revolutionary Guard Court was formally charged in the United States with the assassination attempt against John Bolton.

Host / other voice

Turns out they were going to assassinate President Donald Trump's national security advisor at the time, John Bolton.

Host / other voice

he's more likely to throw you under the bus. He's more likely to have you be the target of Iranian assassins, if you're John Bolton or Mike Pompeo, and he's going to pull any sort of federal support, right?

Host / other voice

In 2022, there was a plot to kill John Bolton. Federal prosecutors charged IRGC member Sharham Pursafi with trying to hire assassins to kill the former White House National Security Advisor John Bolton for 300,000.

Host / other voice

Listen, I don't care what your feelings are about any of these guys. They worked for the U.S. government. You can agree or disagree with them. They don't deserve to be targeted by the freaking Iranians.

Host / other voice

the president was clear about this, that this is about America. And I think that's another example when I said there's like four or five working theories. Democrats throw in jail at a wall saying, does any of this fit with Americans? I also think it's very interesting. And final thing to you, I don't think the American people are buying this. And part of it's because I think Democrats have just said some of those arelandish and crazy things on every issue tried to hurt Donald Trump. Now it's becoming a little bit more of white noise, and I'm thankful for that, to be honest with you.

Host / other voice

to be able to plan the assassination of American leaders and continue to find a way to kill American troops and to attack us, and to be able to fund the Houthis that are shooting at American ships, and fund Hezbollah that are shooting at Americans in the region, and fund Hamas, and to be able to say that we're not going to respond to that.

Host / other voice

it was wrong with President Trump to take away the protection of the former ambassador, John Bolton, I don't care what else he's done, and of Mark Millie, and I'm no fan of General Millie.

Tony Katz + The Morning News (WIBC, conservative-leaning)39:52
Host / other voice

Iran has reached out to... to arrange for an assassination on John Bolton, who was then the National Security Advisor during that time period.

Host / other voice

Iran threatened to kill President Trump, to kill the former national security advisor, John Bolton, to kill the former Secretary of State, Pompeo.

Host / other voice

they threatened to assassinate our president. And they still have an ongoing threat on Mike Pompeo, as well as John Bolton, and I think Brian Hook.

Host / other voice

John Bolton, for example, is one of those. There's several others on this list that have actually been, they've had hits out on them.

All Episodes

11 weeks · 22 episodes
August 10, 2026 – August 16
3 episodes · week 11 of 11
Policy framing · CriticalMedia tone: Neutral

John Bolton is mentioned in the context of security threats faced by U.S. officials, particularly during the Trump administration. The discussion highlights that John Bolton, as a former National Security Advisor, was among those who received threats from the Iranian government. The speaker criticizes President Trump for removing John Bolton's security detail, suggesting it was a mistake given the significant threats present. Overall, John Bolton's mention underscores the serious nature of the threats from Iran during that period.

Summary

What Happened:John Bolton faced threats from the Iranian government during his tenure as National Security Advisor.President Trump removed John Bolton's security detail.
Topics discussed:U.S. national securityIranian threats
Policy framing · CriticalMedia tone: Neutral

John Bolton was mentioned in the context of security threats faced by former officials, particularly regarding the Iranian regime. The discussion highlighted how President Trump was criticized for removing security details from John Bolton and others, which was deemed a mistake given the ongoing threats. The sentiment expressed was that the real threat comes from the Iranian regime, not from Trump or his policies.

Summary

Topics discussed:national securityIran
Crisis signals:controversy
Scandal framing · CriticalMedia tone: Very Negative

John Bolton was mentioned in the context of security threats faced by former officials, including himself, during a discussion about President Trump's decision to remove their security details. The speaker criticized Trump for this decision, emphasizing that it was wrong to take away protection from John Bolton and others like General Milley and Secretary Pompeo. The overall sentiment expressed was one of concern for the safety of these individuals amidst ongoing threats from Iran.

Summary

What Happened:Trump removed John Bolton's security detail
Topics discussed:national securityIran threats
Crisis signals:controversy

Other Themes for John Bolton