Former national security adviser John Bolton fears that president-elect Donald Trump does not understand US interests at a global level, despite having previously served four years in the White House.
Mr Trump has been quick to form his cabinet, assembling a roster of faithful supporters that include television presenter Pete Hegseth to run the Pentagon and real estate investor Steven Witkoff as special envoy to the Middle East.
Mr Bolton, who served under Mr Trump from 2018 to 2019 before he was fired in a tweet, said his former boss appears to be cocooning himself with loyalists who will not push back when necessary.
“I worry that that means that people will be yes men and yes women,” Mr Bolton told The National. “They won't be advisers trying to think through what the right answers to complex problems are.”
He said Mr Trump's anti-Nato sentiments and claims he can end Russia's war against Ukraine “are indications that he's really not serious about understanding US interests in a complex world”.
Mr Bolton, who frequently appears on US news channels to lambast Mr Trump, said the president-elect is primarily seeking “fealty” in his cabinet members. The veteran policymaker, who served as US ambassador to the UN under George W Bush, cautioned that Mr Trump’s cabinet may well be asked to break the law at some point in the coming administration.
He pointed to a federal law known as the Posse Comitatus Act that curbs the powers of the government to use the military to enforce domestic policies. Mr Trump has previously suggested he wants to use the military against “the enemy within”.
“There's no doubt in my mind that at some point … Trump will disregard that and then Hegseth or somebody is going to have to say, I'm not going to comply with that order,” Mr Bolton said.
Mr Bolton worries that the incoming president could decide to withdraw the US from Nato, a “catastrophic” move that would essentially end the current world order established in the aftermath of the Second World War.
“I think it's a very serious prospect,” he said. “I wrote about what he did in the Nato summit in Brussels in 2018 – he was within an inch of withdrawing. Then he was distracted later in the administration and didn't, but his fundamental grievances and misunderstandings about what Nato have not changed.”
On the Middle East, Mr Trump is assembling a staunchly pro-Israel team, including picking Mike Huckabee as ambassador to Israel. The former Arkansas governor has expressed strong support for settlements and refers to the West Bank by its biblical name of Judea and Samaria.
He has also tapped Mr Witkoff, a close personal friend and real estate investor, to be his Middle East Envoy.
“I don't know who Steve Witkoff is,” Mr Bolton said.
Without giving details, Mr Trump has promised to end the wars in the Middle East, something the administration of President Joe Biden has been unable to achieve. Mr Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have reportedly held several phone calls since the election.
Mr Bolton said he believed Mr Trump would ultimately be remembered as an “aberration” in US politics.
“If you tell me the fight is between Donald Trump and the Constitution, the Constitution is going to win. It may be ugly, but the system will prevail,” he said. “People still have faith in the basic institutions. I believe and hope, anyway, that Trump is an aberration in American politics. He did damage in the first term. Some of that’s being repaired. He’ll do more damage in the second term. There’s no doubt about it.”
Trump nominations
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SERIES INFO
Schedule:
All matches at the Harare Sports Club
1st ODI, Wed Apr 10
2nd ODI, Fri Apr 12
3rd ODI, Sun Apr 14
4th ODI, Sun Apr 16
UAE squad
Mohammed Naveed (captain), Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed, Shaiman Anwar, Mohammed Usman, CP Rizwan, Chirag Suri, Mohammed Boota, Ghulam Shabber, Sultan Ahmed, Imran Haider, Amir Hayat, Zahoor Khan, Qadeer Ahmed
Zimbabwe squad
Peter Moor (captain), Solomon Mire, Brian Chari, Regis Chakabva, Sean Williams, Timycen Maruma, Sikandar Raza, Donald Tiripano, Kyle Jarvis, Tendai Chatara, Chris Mpofu, Craig Ervine, Brandon Mavuta, Ainsley Ndlovu, Tony Munyonga, Elton Chigumbura
How to improve Arabic reading in early years
One 45-minute class per week in Standard Arabic is not sufficient
The goal should be for grade 1 and 2 students to become fluent readers
Subjects like technology, social studies, science can be taught in later grades
Grade 1 curricula should include oral instruction in Standard Arabic
First graders must regularly practice individual letters and combinations
Time should be slotted in class to read longer passages in early grades
Improve the appearance of textbooks
Revision of curriculum should be undertaken as per research findings
Conjugations of most common verb forms should be taught
Systematic learning of Standard Arabic grammar
What vitamins do we know are beneficial for living in the UAE
Vitamin D: Highly relevant in the UAE due to limited sun exposure; supports bone health, immunity and mood.
Vitamin B12: Important for nerve health and energy production, especially for vegetarians, vegans and individuals with absorption issues.
Iron: Useful only when deficiency or anaemia is confirmed; helps reduce fatigue and support immunity.
Omega-3 (EPA/DHA): Supports heart health and reduces inflammation, especially for those who consume little fish.
Tightening the screw on rogue recruiters
The UAE overhauled the procedure to recruit housemaids and domestic workers with a law in 2017 to protect low-income labour from being exploited.
Only recruitment companies authorised by the government are permitted as part of Tadbeer, a network of labour ministry-regulated centres.
A contract must be drawn up for domestic workers, the wages and job offer clearly stating the nature of work.
The contract stating the wages, work entailed and accommodation must be sent to the employee in their home country before they depart for the UAE.
The contract will be signed by the employer and employee when the domestic worker arrives in the UAE.
Only recruitment agencies registered with the ministry can undertake recruitment and employment applications for domestic workers.
Penalties for illegal recruitment in the UAE include fines of up to Dh100,000 and imprisonment
But agents not authorised by the government sidestep the law by illegally getting women into the country on visit visas.
How to help
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200
More coverage from the Future Forum
EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBERS
Estijaba – 8001717 – number to call to request coronavirus testing
Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111
Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre
Emirates airline – 600555555
Etihad Airways – 600555666
Ambulance – 998
Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries
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Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
Match info
Deccan Gladiators 87-8
Asif Khan 25, Dwayne Bravo 2-16
Maratha Arabians 89-2
Chadwick Walton 51 not out
Arabians won the final by eight wickets
The specs
Engine: 4-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission: eight-speed PDK
Power: 630bhp
Torque: 820Nm
Price: Dh683,200
On sale: now
The Buckingham Murders
Starring: Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ash Tandon, Prabhleen Sandhu
Director: Hansal Mehta
Rating: 4 / 5
