Washington (CNN) Newly named White House national security adviser John Bolton tried to distance himself from his past statements on Thursday, mere minutes after being named President Donald Trump's new top national security aide.

Bolton told Fox News' "The Story" that his past comments are now "behind me" and what matters is "what the President says."

"During my career, I have written I don't know how many articles and op-eds and opinion pieces. I have given I can't count the number of speeches, I have countless interviews ... in the past 11 years. They're all out there in the public record. I have never been shy about what my views are," Bolton said, adding later, "Frankly, what I have said in private now is behind me."

He concluded: "The important thing is what the President says and the advice I give him."

This theme continued throughout the interview. When pressed on specific policy questions, the former US ambassador to the United Nations didn't repeat his earlier views on Iran and North Korea.

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