Trump's Stupidity
One of Bolton's main arguments in the book is that Trump is not only an anti-intellectual, but a stupid man. There was one instance, Bolton claims, that Trump asked if the country of Finland was part of Russia. This question, Bolton says, is one of many instances in which Trump asked a stupid question or displayed an embarrassing lack of knowledge of basic world aspects.
Trump's Incompetence
Another one of Bolton's major argument is that Trump is an incompetent man who shouldn't be leading the country. For example, Bolton alleges that Trump at one point in the U.S.-North Korea Nuclear Negotiations in getting Kim Jong-Un a CD of Elton John's "Rocket Man" album (after the "Little Rocket Man" nickname Trump gave him) to the detriment of the negotiations.
Trump's Violent Rhetoric
Trump, Bolton says, is an unhinged and violent man. To illustrate this, Bolton recounts a situation in which Trump said that journalists who "don't reveal their sources" should be either executed or jailed. In another instance, Bolton alleges that Trump told Chinese dictator Xi Jinping that the concentration camps China had built for Muslim Uyghurs are a "good idea."
Trump's Criminality
Another major theme of the book is what Bolton sees as Trump's criminality. For example, Bolton alleges that Trump directly asked Chinese dictator Xi Jinping to help him win the 2020 election by purchasing more food from the country, thereby ensuring Trump the crucial farmers vote. Bolton also says that Trump occasionally mused about invading Venezuela, calling it a "cool" idea.
