FBI searches John Bolton's home amid probe into classified documents
Share this @internewscast.com

Bolton was not detained and has not been charged with any crimes related to the investigation into the handling of classified information.

WASHINGTON — On Friday, the FBI conducted searches at both the Maryland residence and Washington office belonging to John Bolton, the former national security adviser under the Trump administration. This action was part of a criminal investigation into the possible improper handling of classified material, according to an individual with knowledge of the situation.

Bolton, who emerged as an outspoken critic of President Donald Trump after being fired in 2019 and feuded with the first Trump administration over a scathing book he wrote documenting his time in the White House, was not in custody Friday and has not been charged with any crimes, said the person who was not authorized to discuss the investigation by name and spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity.

The searches, seemingly the most significant public step the Justice Department has taken against a perceived enemy of the president, are likely to elicit fresh alarm that the Trump administration is using its law enforcement powers to target the Republican’s foes. They come as the Trump administration has moved to examine the activities of other critics, including by authorizing a grand jury investigation into the origins of the Trump-Russia probe that dogged Trump for much of his first term, and as FBI and Justice Department leaders signal their loyalty to the president.

They also unfolded against the backdrop of a 2022 search for classified documents at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, an action that produced since-dismissed criminal charges but remains the source of outrage for the president and supporters who insist he was unjustly targeted despite the retrieval of top-secret records. Current FBI Director Kash Patel, who included Bolton on a list of “members of the Executive Branch Deep State” in a 2023 book, said in a Fox News Channel interview this week that the Mar-a-Lago search represented a “total weaponization and politicization” of the bureau.

Speaking to reporters during an unscheduled visit to the White House Historical Association, Trump said he had seen news coverage of Friday’s searches and expected to be briefed about it by the Justice Department but also insisted he didn’t “want to know about it.”

“I could know about it. I could be the one starting it. I’m actually the chief law enforcement officer. But I feel that it’s better this way,” Trump said.

Bolton had said in interviews in the last few months that he was mindful that he could scrutinized, telling the AP in January shortly before Trump took office, “Anybody who ever disagrees with Trump has to worry about retribution. It’s a pretty long list.”

“It’s been a long time since people used to talk about Richard Nixon’s enemies list. But that seems to be Trump’s approach. And so it’s uncharted territory in many respects,” Bolton said.

Bolton was in his office building at the time

Bolton was not home for the search of his home, but after it started, he was spotted Friday morning standing in the lobby of the Washington building where he keeps an office and talking to two people with “FBI” visible on their vests. He left a few minutes later and appeared to have gone upstairs in the building. Agents were seen taking bags into the office building through a back entrance.

Messages left with a spokesperson for Bolton were not immediately returned, and a lawyer who has represented Bolton had no immediate comment.

The Justice Department had no comment, but leaders appeared to cryptically refer to the search of Bolton’s home in a series of social media posts Friday morning.

Patel posted on X: “NO ONE is above the law… @FBI agents on mission.” Attorney General Pam Bondi shared his post, adding: “America’s safety isn’t negotiable. Justice will be pursued. Always.”

The Justice Department is separately conducting mortgage fraud investigations into Democratic Sen. Adam Schiff of California and New York Attorney General Letitia James, who brought a civil fraud lawsuit against Trump and his company, and ex-Trump prosecutor Jack Smith faces an investigation from an independent watchdog office. Schiff and James have vigorously denied any wrongdoing through their lawyers.

Trump and Bolton have been at odds for years

Bolton served as Trump’s third national security adviser for 17 months and clashed with him over Iran, Afghanistan and North Korea.

He faced scrutiny during the first Trump administration over a book he wrote about his time in government that officials argued disclosed classified information. To make its case, the Justice Department in 2020 submitted sworn statements from senior White House officials, including then-National Security Agency Director Paul Nakasone, asserting that Bolton’s manuscript included classified information that could harm national security if exposed.

Bolton’s lawyers have said he moved forward with the book after a White House National Security Council official, with whom Bolton had worked for months, said the manuscript no longer contained classified information.

The Justice Department in 2021 abandoned its lawsuit and dropped a separate grand jury investigation, with Bolton’s lawyer calling the effort to block the book “politically motivated” and illegitimate.

Bolton’s harshly critical book, “The Room Where It Happened,” portrayed Trump as grossly ill-informed about foreign policy and said he “saw conspiracies behind rocks, and remained stunningly uninformed on how to run the White House, let alone the huge federal government.”

Trump responded by slamming Bolton as a “crazy” war-monger who would have led the country into “World War Six.”

Bolton served as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations under President George W. Bush and also held positions in President Ronald Reagan’s administration. He considered running for president in 2012 and 2016.

Trump, on his first day back in office this year, revoked the security clearances of more than four dozen former intelligence officials, including Bolton. Bolton was also among a group of former Trump officials whose security details were canceled by Trump earlier this year.

In 2022, an Iranian operative was charged in a plot to kill Bolton in presumed retaliation for a 2020 U.S. airstrike that killed the country’s most powerful general.

The handling of classified information by top government officials has been a politically loaded topic in recent years. Besides Trump, the Justice Department also investigated whether then-President Joe Biden, a Democrat, mishandled classified information after serving as vice president in the Obama administration, and the FBI also recovered what it said were classified documents from the home of former Trump Vice President Mike Pence. Neither man was charged.

Associated Press writers Michelle L. Price, Nathan Ellgren, Lindsay Whitehurst, Alanna Durkin Richer, Byron Tau and Jill Colvin contributed to this report.

Copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.     

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like
Former MLB player Jesús Montero dies two weeks after motorcycle crash

Tragic Loss: Ex-MLB Star Jesús Montero Passes Away Following Motorcycle Accident

CARACAS (AP) — Venezuelan Jesús Montero, who once graced the fields with…
South African rowers of color become first to compete at Charles, part of larger trend toward access

Historic Breakthrough: South African Rowers of Color Make Waves at the Prestigious Charles Regatta

BOSTON (AP) — In a groundbreaking moment, a group of four rowers…
Russian mercenaries replace Western forces as ISIS surges across Africa's Sahel region

Russian Mercenaries Step In as ISIS Resurgence Challenges Security in Africa’s Sahel

Experts suggest that the exit of U.S. and European troops from African…
FBI investigates hunting stand with sight line to Trump's Air Force One exit area at Palm Beach airport

FBI Probes Suspicious Hunting Stand Overlooking Trump’s Air Force One Path at Palm Beach Airport

EXCLUSIVE: In a recent security sweep, the U.S. Secret Service identified a…
Brunswick man charged with electronic child explotation

Brunswick Resident Arrested for Alleged Involvement in Electronic Child Exploitation Case

In a troubling development from Glynn County, Georgia, a 28-year-old man from…
Israel says Hamas violated ceasefire with 'multiple attacks' leading to IDF response

Israel Accuses Hamas of Breaching Ceasefire with ‘Multiple Attacks,’ Prompting IDF Retaliation

The Israeli military launched airstrikes against Hamas in Gaza, alleging that the…
'Dr. Antifa' fled US after doxxing, but infamous handbook promotes tactic and violence against 'Far Right'

Controversial ‘Dr. Antifa’ Escapes USA Amid Backlash Over Handbook Encouraging Tactics Against Far-Right

Dr. Mark Bray, a Rutgers University professor colloquially known as “Dr. Antifa,”…
NTSB shares early findings in crash that killed country songwriter Brett James

Breaking: NTSB Releases Preliminary Report on Fatal Crash Involving Renowned Country Songwriter Brett James

A preliminary report has surfaced, shedding light on the tragic accident that…
Chicago Bears game today: Teams seeks fourth straight win, look to avoid letdown against NFC-worst Saints Sunday at Soldier Field

Chicago Bears Aim for Fourth Consecutive Win Against Struggling Saints at Soldier Field

CHICAGO — This Sunday, the Chicago Bears aim to continue their winning…
Israel strikes Gaza after it says Hamas attacked across ceasefire line

Israel Launches Retaliatory Strikes on Gaza Following Alleged Hamas Ceasefire Breach

Israel launched strikes on targets in the southern Gaza Strip on Sunday…
Teen killed by stray bullet while playing video games inside St. Louis home: 'Horrible nightmare'

Tragic Incident: Teen Fatally Struck by Stray Bullet While Gaming at Home in St. Louis

In a tragic incident, a 14-year-old high school freshman from Missouri lost…
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson declares Oct. 19 'Love Your Lungs Day' as doctors gather at McCormick Place for CHEST conference

Chicago Mayor Proclaims ‘Love Your Lungs Day’ on Oct. 19 Amid Major CHEST Conference at McCormick Place

Thousands of medical professionals have gathered in Chicago this weekend to focus…