BOOK: Trump Hoped COVID Would “Take Out” Bolton

From the coming book Nightmare Scenario:

Trump had tried to joke about the virus for months, sometimes even mocking people who had become ill. At one meeting several months [before Trump got sick], NEC director Larry Kudlow had stifled a cough. The room had frozen. Trump had waved his hands in front of his face, as if to jokingly ward off any flying virus particles, and then cracked a smile. “I was just kidding,” he’d said. “Larry will never get COVID. He will defeat it with his optimism.” … “John Bolton,” he had said … “Hopefully COVID takes out John.”

According to Axios, the book’s authors thought Trump was being serious.

?? Detonating Tue. … @washingtonpost @yabutaleb7 @damianpaletta “Nightmare Scenario” … Trump: “Hopefully COVID takes out John” … In @axios story, @jonathanvswan gets Bolton’s classic response https://t.co/SKxbRSEuk1

— Mike Allen (@mikeallen) June 23, 2021