Washington (CNN) President Donald Trump and his national security adviser, John Bolton, are engaged in an ongoing debate about how to handle Iran, a senior White House official told CNN. Trump moved to ease tensions with Iran on Thursday morning after Tehran downed a US drone near the Persian Gulf. In doing so, he struck a starkly different tone on Iran from Bolton and other senior security aides. The senior White House official said that in the Iran debate between Trump and Bolton, officials such as Pompeo, Vice President Mike Pence and incoming acting Secretary of Defense Mark Esper play the role of "swing votes." As the administration's Iran policy has unfolded, Pompeo and Bolton have played a crucial behind-the-scenes role in shaping the response, according to US officials.

Source: CNN June 20, 2019 23:48 UTC