The source, who requested anonymity due to lack of authorization to discuss the investigation publicly, shared that Bolton has not been arrested or charged with any crimes. The Associated Press received this information under these conditions.

During the search, Bolton was observed on Friday morning in the lobby of the Washington building where his office is located, speaking with two individuals wearing vests marked “FBI.” Shortly after, he went upstairs in the building. Agents were seen bringing bags into the office through a back entrance.

These searches represent a major public action by the Justice Department against someone perceived as opposing President Trump. This move is anticipated to ignite further criticism, as it may be seen as the Trump administration using law enforcement to target Republican adversaries. These searches follow the authorization of a grand jury investigation into the Trump-Russia probe’s beginnings, examining activities of other critics.

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

The White House did not offer comments, directing inquiries to the FBI. The Justice Department also refrained from commenting, but its leaders seemingly referenced the searches in vague social media messages on Friday morning.

FBI Director Kash Patel, who mentioned Bolton in his 2023 book as part of the “Executive Branch Deep State,” tweeted that “no one is above the law,” noting the FBI’s active involvement. Attorney General Pam Bondi echoed this sentiment by sharing his post, emphasizing the importance of pursuing justice for America’s safety.

The Justice Department is also conducting mortgage fraud investigations into Democratic Senator 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.

In an ABC interview earlier this month, Bolton was asked about whether he was worried about the Trump administration taking action against him. Bolton said Trump had “already come after” him by taking away his security detail, and he added: “I think it is a retribution presidency.”

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, but the Justice Department in 2021 abandoned its lawsuit and dropped a separate grand jury investigation.

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.

On his first day back in office this year, Trump 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.

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

In 2022, an Iranian operative was charged in a plot to kill Bolton in presumed retaliation for a January 2020 US airstrike that killed the country’s most powerful general. Bolton had by then left the Trump administration but tweeted, “Hope this is the first step to regime change in Tehran.”