Duke announces a campus speaker for February. Perhaps you’ve heard his name this week.
Talk about timing.
John Bolton, President Trump’s former national security adviser whose upcoming book has been the talk of Washington this week amid the Senate impeachment trial, will speak at Duke University on Feb. 17.
According to a news release issued by the university on Wednesday, Bolton will talk about current threats to national security at a speech that will begin at 5:30 p.m. in Page Auditorium on the Duke campus.
Bolton will be the spring 2020 Ambassador Dave and Kay Phillips Family International Lecturer, appearing as part of the Duke Program in American Grand Strategy.
On Sunday, the New York Times released information about Bolton’s upcoming book, “The Room Where It Happened,” in which he claims that Trump told him he wanted U.S. aid to Ukraine held up until the nation agreed to investigate Trump’s Democratic political rivals.
On Wednesday, Trump sent repeated tweets criticizing Bolton and his “nasty & untrue book.” “Frankly, if I listened to him, we would be in World War Six by now,” Trump tweeted.
All of this comes during speculation about whether Bolton and additional witnesses may be called in the Senate impeachment trial.
Bolton’s appearance at Duke
In addition to his service as Trump’s national security advisor, Bolton served as the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations under President George W. Bush, and had jobs in the Reagan and George H.W. Bush administrations.
Bolton is now a senior advisor to the Rhone Group, a private equity firm, providing counsel on economic and geopolitical issues.
In his appearance at Duke, Bolton will be interviewed by Peter Feaver, director of Duke’s American Grand Strategy program and professor of political science and public policy at Duke, will interview Bolton.
“Ambassador Bolton has been in the center of the foreign policy and national security arena during some of the most consequential periods in modern American history,” Feaver was quoted as saying in the release. “His most recent service as national security advisor to President Trump positions him exceptionally well to speak to the issues of the day -- issues that will continue to shape America’s role in the world for years to come. This is an exciting opportunity to hear first-hand from a significant figure in American policymaking.”
The event is free, but advance tickets are required and will be available starting Feb. 7 at the Duke Box Office or online at tickets.duke.edu. Tickets will not be available at the door.
This story was originally published January 29, 2020 at 1:05 PM with the headline "Duke announces a campus speaker for February. Perhaps you’ve heard his name this week.."
