Conspicuous Note On Bolton’s Legal Pad At Press Briefing: ‘5,000 Troops To Colombia’

WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 28: With handwritten notes on a legal pad, National Security Advisor John Bolton listens to questions from reporters during a press briefing at the White House January 28, 2019 in Washington,... WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 28: With handwritten notes on a legal pad, National Security Advisor John Bolton listens to questions from reporters during a press briefing at the White House January 28, 2019 in Washington, DC. During the briefing, economic sanctions against Venezuela's state owned oil company were announced in an effort to force Venezuelan President Maduro to step down. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images) MORE LESS
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The White House on Monday acknowledged a conspicuous note spotted on National Security Adviser John Bolton’s legal pad during a press briefing: “5,000 troops to Colombia.”

A White House spokesperson told CNN’s Kevin Liptak and the Associated Press of the note, which was clearly visible to dozens of journalists Monday: “As the President has said, all options are on the table.” A White House spokesperson didn’t respond to TPM’s request for comment.

WASHINGTON, DC – JANUARY 28: With handwritten notes on a legal pad, National Security Advisor John Bolton listens to questions from reporters during a press briefing at the White House January 28, 2019 in Washington, DC. During the briefing, economic sanctions against Venezuela’s state owned oil company were announced in an effort to force Venezuelan President Maduro to step down. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

The statement is a reference to Venezuela: The Trump administration has recognized Venezuelan National Assembly Leader Juan Guaidó as interim president of the country, though current President Nicolás Maduro has not stepped down.

Bolton and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, at the same briefing Monday, announced sanctions on the state-owned oil and gas company Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A.

Bolton said at the briefing that “any violence against” U.S. diplomatic personnel, the Venezuelan National Assembly or Guaidó himself “will signify a gave assault on the rule of law and will be met with a significant response.” 

Asked later to clarify what “significant response” meant, he said: “We’re not going to define it because we want the Venezuelan security forces to know how strongly we think that President Guaidó, the National Assembly, the opposition and, most importantly, American personnel are not harmed. This is an unequivocal statement on our part.” 

Asked if there were “any circumstance under which American forces would get involved,” Bolton left open the possibility: “The President has made it clear on this matter that all options are on the table.”

At that point in the briefing, the front page of Bolton’s legal pad was blank:

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