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FBI agents raided the home of former national security adviser John Bolton early Friday as part of a national security investigation into classified records, a source familiar with the matter confirmed.
The raid began around 7 a.m. at Bolton’s residence in Bethesda, Maryland. An FBI official said the bureau was “conducting court authorized activity in the area” and emphasized there was “no threat to public safety.”
Bolton, a longtime Republican foreign policy figure who served under Presidents George W. Bush and Donald Trump, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Background: Bolton’s history with classified information disputes
Bolton, who wrote a 2020 memoir highly critical of Trump, has faced previous legal battles with the government over classified information. The Trump administration sued to block publication of his book, arguing it contained sensitive material, and later sought to seize profits from its sale. Courts rejected those efforts, and in 2021 the Justice Department under President Joe Biden dropped its civil and criminal cases against Bolton.
Bolton has maintained that he complied with prepublication review procedures and received clearance from a National Security Council official before publication. His lawyers argued that Trump officials attempted to delay the book’s release for political reasons, citing damaging revelations about the administration’s handling of international affairs.
Legal and political context of Friday’s raid
The current probe, sources said, concerns whether classified materials were mishandled or leaked to the press. Officials noted the investigation originally began during the Biden administration but was not pursued further until now.
On X, FBI Director Kash Patel appeared to reference the raid, writing, “NO ONE is above the law… @FBI agents on mission.” Attorney General Pam Bondi added, “America’s safety isn’t negotiable. Justice will be pursued. Always.” FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino wrote: “Public corruption will not be tolerated.”
Trump-Bolton tensions resurface
Bolton served as Trump’s national security adviser from 2018 to 2019, but the two parted acrimoniously. Trump claimed he fired Bolton, while Bolton insisted he resigned after policy disagreements.
Since leaving office, Bolton has been one of Trump’s fiercest Republican critics, accusing him of putting personal politics above national security. He has publicly denounced Trump’s diplomacy with Russia, Iran, and North Korea, and in 2022 said he was “seriously considering” a presidential run to prevent Trump from returning to office.
The raid also comes months after Trump canceled Bolton’s Secret Service detail, despite longstanding threats against him from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Broader context and next steps
The FBI has conducted multiple high-profile searches of former senior officials in recent years as part of an intensified push to safeguard classified materials. While investigators did not disclose what they were seeking in Bolton’s home, the raid underscores the Justice Department’s continued scrutiny of how current and former officials handle sensitive information.
No additional searches are currently anticipated, according to a source familiar with the matter. The Justice Department has not said whether Bolton faces potential criminal charges.
The New York Post first reported news of the raid.
