Former National Security Advisor John Bolton says he hopes President Donald Trump’s ongoing peace negotiations with Iran ultimately collapse, arguing that continued talks only benefit Tehran as it attempts to recover from recent military strikes.
Speaking Monday on CNN, Bolton criticized the Trump administration’s diplomatic approach and warned that the current ceasefire could allow Iran to regroup politically and militarily after weeks of conflict involving the United States and Israel.
“Well, I hope the negotiations break down because every day that goes by is a gift to Iran,” Bolton said during the interview. “It gives them 24 more hours to recover from the pummeling they took during the six weeks of US-Israeli attack.”
Bolton, who served as Trump’s national security adviser from 2018 to 2019 before their highly publicized split, has remained one of the most outspoken hawkish voices on Iran policy. He has long advocated for a far more aggressive strategy toward Tehran and has repeatedly argued that diplomacy with the Iranian regime is ineffective.
I agree 100%!
John Bolton: US, Iran peace talks are ‘a mistake’ https://t.co/xi6lWcgaKf— Diane H 🇺🇸 🇮🇱 🇮🇷 🇺🇦 ✡ (@DianeB528) May 26, 2026
During the CNN appearance, Bolton said the ceasefire and broader negotiations are allowing Iran’s leadership valuable time to stabilize itself internally after suffering military and political setbacks.
“The ceasefire gives them time to try and reconstitute their government,” Bolton said, adding that Iran’s leadership currently appears “dysfunctional in decision-making capability.”
He also argued that delaying military pressure postpones what he described as the inevitable “day of reckoning” over Iran’s ability to threaten global shipping routes, particularly through the Strait of Hormuz. The narrow waterway is one of the world’s most strategically important oil transit corridors, and tensions there have repeatedly raised fears of wider regional conflict.
Bolton went even further by describing the ceasefire as a major strategic mistake by the United States.
“The ceasefire was a mistake,” he said. “We’re on the verge of something that ultimately history will decide was a catastrophic loss for the United States.”
The former adviser has delivered similar criticisms in recent weeks. During an earlier appearance on NewsNation, Bolton argued that Trump had failed to fully capitalize on America’s military leverage against Iran.
“He hasn’t finished the job,” Bolton said at the time. “The United States holds a great advantage here.”
Bolton explained that his preferred outcome would involve removing Iran’s ruling regime entirely, though he acknowledged there were additional steps short of regime change that the administration could still pursue.
“My definition of finishing the job is ousting the regime in Tehran,” he said. “But there are steps less than that that Trump could take, and I’m a little surprised that he hasn’t done it.”
Former National Security Advisor John Bolton hopes Trump administration’s peace talks with Iran fail.
“Well, I hope the negotiations break down, because every day that goes by is a gift to Iran.” pic.twitter.com/l4lGyzKM6H
— Jeff Charles, Asker of Questions🏴 (@jeffcharlesjr) May 26, 2026
The current negotiations reportedly center on a memorandum designed to halt hostilities, address Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, and eventually move into broader talks surrounding sanctions, frozen assets, and Tehran’s nuclear program.
According to Reuters, the framework under discussion would separate nuclear negotiations from the immediate ceasefire agreement. Trump said Friday that a deal with Iran had been “largely negotiated,” signaling optimism that an agreement could soon be finalized.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio has also acknowledged limited progress in the talks, though he cautioned that significant disagreements remain unresolved. Rubio said Iran recently submitted a revised proposal that continued to demand sanctions relief, access to frozen financial assets, and concessions related to the Strait of Hormuz.
