Former White House national security adviser John Bolton said that he had personally weathered U.S. President Donald Trump's anger at receiving intelligence briefings pertaining to Russia.
"I think I have enough scars from bringing up things about Russia that he probably didn't want to hear, that I can say I agree with" accounts from other former officials that Trump did not want to hear negative information linked to Russian President Vladimir Putin, Bolton told CNN.
Bolton asserted that "everybody understood the nature of Russia's activities - with the possible exception of the President."
"And so a lot of activity went on as you might expect it would, and we just, we tried to inform the President, tried to get his reaction," Bolton continued. "Steps were taken - I think, importantly - to deal with Russian threats, but usually as the President grumbled and complained along the way."
