FBI searches home of John Bolton, one of Trump’s biggest critics

The FBI on Friday raided the home of John Bolton, Donald Trump’s former national security adviser and currently one of his most vocal critics. Agents entered Bolton’s private residence in Bethesda, an affluent neighborhood in northwest Washington, as part of an investigation into the alleged use of classified documents by the former senior official. An FBI spokesperson confirmed the agency was “conducting court authorized activity in the area.” The former ambassador to the U.N. was not at home at the time of the search.

FBI Director Kash Patel, a staunch Trump supporter, posted a message on the social media platform X early Friday morning while the search was taking place: “No one is above the law.” According to The Washington Post, the order to launch this investigation came from Patel himself, who in a 2023 book included Bolton on a list of alleged “members of the Executive Branch Deep State.”

For his part, Trump has distanced himself from the FBI raid on his former aide’s home, claiming to have little information about the operation. But did take the opportunity to lash out at Bolton, calling him a “sleazebag.” “He could be very unpatriotic, we’re going to find out,” he told reporters during a visit to the White House museum.

Bolton, a prolific commentator and frequent guest on political analysis TV programs, had served as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations during George W. Bush’s administration (2001–2009) before becoming the third national security adviser in Trump’s first term. The neoconservative, a hawk on foreign policy, held the position in Trump’s White House for 17 months. During that period, he frequently clashed with the president over how to proceed on a wide range of geopolitical issues — from North Korea (Trump wanted to meet North Korean Leader Kim Jong-un, and did so three times) to Afghanistan and Iraq.

After his resignation, the former adviser published a memoir, The Room Where It Happened, about his time in the West Wing of the White House. The presidential office tried, unsuccessfully, to block the book’s publication, claiming it contained classified material.

Since returning to power, Trump has taken a series of steps against those he believes harmed him as president in his first term or as a candidate for the second. Among other measures, his administration has announced the opening of investigations into special counsels Jack Smith and Letitia James, who brought charges against Trump in separate cases — criminal charges in the former, civil charges in the latter — before the Republican’s election victory.

The current administration is also investigating Democratic congressman Adam Schiff for alleged mortgage fraud. Schiff led the congressional inquiry into the January 6, 2021, assault on the Capitol and the possible role Trump may have played in that attempt by his supporters to prevent the certification of Democratic rival Joe Biden’s election victory.

But the search of Bolton’s home appears to be the most forceful gesture yet, and an escalation in the apparent use of this administration’s instruments of power against those it considers its enemies.

On the very day of his inauguration for his second term, January 20, Trump signed an order revoking the security clearances of about 50 former senior officials from his administration, including Bolton. The president also ordered the removal of his former adviser’s security detail, even though Bolton has received death threats from Iran.

Following the summit in Alaska last week between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss the war in Ukraine, Bolton stated that the Kremlin leader “clearly won” the meeting and that although the president “did not lose,” he appeared “tired” in front of the cameras.

In the past, Bolton had also criticized Patel. In December, a month before Trump’s inauguration, he told CNN, where he is a commentator, that the Senate should reject the confirmation of the current FBI director “100-0.” Patel was ultimately confirmed.

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