Personnel is policy, they say in Washington. The appointment of John Bolton as national security adviser is by far U.S. President Donald Trump's most dangerous decision.
When the president considers foreign policy, no one is closer to his ear than his national security adviser. He will discuss questions of war and peace with military generals and members of his Cabinet, but when there's a diversity of opinion, the views of a national security adviser can be determinative.
"Brent Scowcroft defined the role of the National Security Adviser," wrote Stephen J. Hadley, former national security adviser under President George W. Bush. "The only person to hold the job twice [under Ford and George H.W. Bush], Brent established the 'Scowcroft Model' for all who followed him in the job: Be an 'Honest Broker,' running a fair, transparent, and inclusive process for bringing issues to the president."