Yes, you are right they didn't literally say that because in that case it would be legally troublesome. I think it is childish to think that this is not pure coercion either to the negotiation/surrender table or public unrest.
By the way, Bolton didn't just advocate war/unrest years ago. It was last year [1].
I understand the importance of being exact, but by being pedantic in a political context without considering motivations and effects is trivialization.
[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cenpiO6LMpE