President-elect Donald Trump's transition team is swiftly assembling his new administration. On Thursday, Trump announced his choice of Susan Summerall Wiles as White House chief of staff for January. Wiles, a highly regarded GOP operative, received praise from many Republican Party members. However, Trump's former national security adviser, John Bolton, voiced concerns that Trump's upcoming administration might mirror the chaos of his previous term, despite Wiles' appointment.

Known as the “ice maiden,” Wiles is expected to provide stability, yet Bolton remains skeptical. Speaking with CNN's Kaitlan Collins, Bolton highlighted a recent phone call between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The call included Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, a Trump supporter, raising questions. At that time, Bolton misunderstood Musk’s involvement, thinking it standard for the vice president-elect, only to realize Musk is not in line for that role.

According to Bolton, this incident reflects Trump’s unconventional approach, which was also apparent during his 2016-2017 transition. Breaking norms seems typical of Trump, and Bolton advised caution before expecting newfound order at Mar-a-Lago. Despite the buzz over early appointments, Bolton perceives Trump as still chaotic, pursuing his interests with Musk as a current focal point.

Newsweek reached out to Trump's team for comments, following speculation about Musk potentially joining Trump's Cabinet. During the campaign, Trump expressed openness to having Musk manage cost-cutting measures, recognizing Musk's influence via political action committee America PAC, which bolstered Trump's campaign. Reports indicate Musk joined Trump's call with Zelensky, during which Zelensky credited Musk's Starlink satellite internet service for aiding Ukraine amid Russia's invasion.

Bolton, who served under Trump for 17 months, until a disputed resignation or firing in September 2019, has consistently critiqued Trump. He termed Trump an unacceptable candidate for Republicans and argued political engagement should be about philosophy, not coveted jobs, a stance seemingly absent in Trump. When asked about advice for Trump's future national security adviser, Bolton emphasized providing valuable information to the president for decision-making.

Accepting presidential decisions is part of the job, but the role involves offering informed perspectives, not merely agreement. Bolton warned against being sycophantic, stating that failing to provide comprehensive options and simply saying 'yes, sir' does a disservice to both the president and the country.