John Bolton is losing his mind over Trump’s new hires.
Former National Security Adviser John Bolton has raised eyebrows with his recent comments comparing Kash Patel, President-elect Trump’s nominee to lead the FBI, to Lavrentiy Beria, the infamous Soviet secret police chief under Joseph Stalin. Speaking to NBC’s Meet The Press, Bolton said that Patel would be “Trump’s Lavrentiy Beria,” and called on the Senate to reject his nomination “100-0.”
Bolton’s choice of comparison is a striking one, given Beria’s brutal legacy in Soviet Russia. As the deputy head of the NKVD, Beria employed terror and violent tactics to maintain Stalin’s iron grip on power. He was notorious for his use of torture, executions, and political purges, all to further his own ambitions within the Soviet regime. After Stalin’s death, Beria was arrested, tried for treason, and executed—his name forever synonymous with totalitarian repression.
However, Bolton’s dramatic condemnation of Patel seems out of step with the growing support for the nominee among conservatives. Patel, a former aide to Trump and a staunch defender of his policies, has earned a reputation for standing up against the weaponization of government agencies for political purposes. Conservatives see Patel as someone who will restore integrity to institutions like the FBI, which many believe have become politicized and corrupt. His nomination signals a commitment to reform and accountability—exactly what is needed to reinstate the FBI’s credibility after years of questionable conduct under previous leadership.
Bolton’s attack on Patel may be more about his own fractured political history than any legitimate concerns about Patel’s qualifications. Bolton, who was often at odds with Trump during his presidency, has faced criticism himself for his hawkish foreign policy stances and involvement in controversial military interventions. His comments about Patel, therefore, seem like more of a personal vendetta than a genuine concern for the future of the FBI.
For many Republicans, Patel represents a necessary corrective to the growing distrust in Washington institutions. Bolton’s hyperbolic rhetoric might be a signal of establishment resistance to an outsider like Patel who threatens the status quo, but it’s clear that many conservatives view him as a man of principle who is ready to take on the deep state and restore honor to the FBI. In the end, Bolton’s criticism of Patel may be more about protecting the old guard than about ensuring the nation’s security.