The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has searched the home of John Bolton, a former national security adviser to President Donald Trump who later became a frequent critic.
The raid is part of a national security probe into Bolton’s handling of classified information. According to reports, FBI agents were seen carrying boxes into Bolton’s house in Maryland.
FBI Director Kash Patel seemed to reference the investigation in a social media post, saying, “NO ONE is above the law… [FBI] agents on mission.” Patel’s post did not explicitly mention Bolton but was seen as unusual given the bureau’s general reluctance to comment on ongoing investigations.
President Trump denied having any knowledge of the raid on Bolton’s home, telling reporters, “No, I don’t know about it. I saw it on television this morning.” Trump also expressed his disapproval of Bolton, calling him a “real sort of a lowlife.” The raid comes amid the Trump administration’s increased scrutiny of critics and rivals.
The Associated Press reported that Bolton was seen speaking with two people wearing FBI vests in the lobby of a building where he works in Washington, DC.
Agents were later spotted taking bags into the building through the rear entrance. A spokesperson for the FBI confirmed “court-authorized activity” in the area around Bolton’s home.
The raid is not the first action the Trump administration has taken against Bolton. In January, Trump cancelled Bolton’s security clearance on his first day back in the White House.
Several days later, Trump revoked the security detail assigned to protect Bolton. Bolton expressed disappointment but not surprise, while Trump called him a “very dumb person” and questioned why he would need government protection for life.
Bolton has been critical of Trump’s policies and actions, accusing him of lashing out at political rivals and leveraging government power for punishment.
In his memoir, “the room where it happened,” Bolton wrote a scathing assessment of his time in the Trump White House, saying, “He couldn’t tell the difference between his personal interests and the country’s interests.”
Trump has also criticized Bolton’s aggressive foreign policy stance. Describing Bolton as a menacing presence in meetings with foreign leaders, Trump said, “He really doesn’t talk.
He’s quiet… I’d walk into a room with him with a foreign country, and the foreign country would give me everything because they’d say, oh no, they’re going to get blown up because John Bolton’s there.”
In a recent interview, Bolton accused Trump of running a “retribution presidency.” Trump, however, denied knowledge of the raid and credited his Department of Justice, under Attorney General Pam Bondi, with making such decisions. “I tell Pam and I tell the group, I don’t want to know about this. You have to do what you have to do. I don’t want to know about it. It’s not necessary,” Trump said.
The Department of Justice under Trump has launched probes into several Trump critics, including Democratic Senator Adam Schiff and New York Attorney General Letitia James.
Prosecutor Jack Smith, who led two federal investigations into Trump, faces a probe from the Office of the Special Counsel based on Republican allegations of illegal political activity under the Hatch Act.