John Bolton

The women are enormously dissatisfied since the death of Masi Amini.

Ethnic groups are dissatisfied.

So to me, conditions are ripe for regime change as a policy to succeed.

And the question is, what role can the United States play?

And here, I think Trump has badly misplayed his hand from the beginning, unfortunately.

Tell me how.

Trump initially did nothing to prepare the American public for the steps necessary to affect regime change.

Normally, when a president is going to take a dramatic action like Trump has, you explain that to the American people.

You make the case.

why it's in our national interest to seek regime change, to avoid the threat of nuclear weapons, to avoid the continuing threat of terrorism.

You don't have to say anything about what your specific plan is.

You don't have to talk about timing.

But you have to be respectful of our citizens and make the case to them that this is in their interest.

I think he could have done it.

compelling case, he didn't do it.

A corollary to that is you need to prepare Congress, certainly on the Republican side to get their support, but on the Democratic side too.

I think there are a number of important steps that Congress is going to have to take.

And instead of leaving them in the dark, it doesn't mean they would agree with you necessarily, but at least you've stated your case to them and it's part of

making it to the American people.

The other aspect, one other aspect that Trump failed on was consulting with allies.