John Bolton: If Freeing One Hostage Puts More Americans in Jeopardy, that Doesn’t Benefit the Country

EXCERPT:

BOLTON: "Well, you know, I heard that’s written in my book. I looked for it and I can’t find it. And I can tell you at least one reporter looked for it and couldn’t find it either. Here’s the point that -- that I believe in very strongly. The -- the president’s got a responsibility to try to protect all Americans, obviously including the hostages, but I think arguments about swapping for hostages really miss a basic point that you’re putting the price on the head of the future Americans who can be taken. I can tell you and there is some things I can’t say, but I can tell you that steps were taken in the Trump administration, privately, to have conversations with the Syrians. They did not involve a hostage exchange. And they didn’t succeed, nor did conversations in earlier administrations. It's a wrenching, it's indescribable feeling for the families and the friends of the hostages, I understand that. But let’s remember, the president has an obligation to all Americans and if freeing one hostage puts more Americans in jeopardy in the future, that doesn’t benefit the country as a whole."