• John Bolton on Tuesday texted Fox News host Brian Kilmeade live on-air to dispute President Trump’s account of the circumstances of his departure as White House national security adviser.
  • “Let’s be clear. I resigned,” Bolton texted Kilmeade while he was live on air.
  • US President Donald Trump in a tweet claimed that he had told Bolton “his services are no longer needed at the White House.”
  • According to multiple reports, Trump had soured on Bolton after disagreements on issues including Iran, Russia, and North Korea.
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Former White House national security adviser John Bolton texted a Fox News host while he was live on-air Tuesday to dispute US President Donald Trump’s account of his departure from the administration.

Trump in a tweet Tuesday unexpectedly announced the departure of the controversial adviser, writing: “I informed John Bolton last night that his services are no longer needed at the White House.”

“I disagreed strongly with many of his suggestions, as did others in the Administration, and therefore I asked John for his resignation, which was given to me this morning.”

As Fox News host Brian Kilmeade was discussing developments with other hosts on his show “Outnumbered,” he told viewers that he had just received a text from Bolton disputing the president’s claim.

"John Bolton just texted me ... he's watching," Kilmeade, who is also a host on Trump's favorite morning show, Fox & Friends, told viewers. "He said: 'Let's be clear. I resigned."

Kilmeade then said that Bolton had agreed to Kilmeade sharing the information on air.

Bolton also texted reporters at publications including The Washington Post and The New York Times with his version of events and hit back at the president's claim in a tweet.

"I offered to resign last night and President Trump said: 'Let's talk about it tomorrow,'" Bolton tweeted.

It's not the first time Trump has opted to fire officials by tweet before they were able to announce their departure, with Bolton's ouster following those of former secretary of state Rex Tillerson and homeland security chief Kirstjen Nielsen.

According to multiple reports, Trump had soured on Bolton after the hawkish adviser lobbied for preemptive military action against regimes in Iran, North Korea, and Venezuela.