FBI Raids Ex-Trump Adviser John Bolton’s Maryland Home

The home of John Bolton, who served as national security adviser under President Donald Trump, was raided by the FBI on Friday morning.

Federal agents swarmed Bolton’s Maryland home and office in Washington, D.C., Friday. He has not been detained or charged with a crime, a source told the Associated Press.

The FBI searched for several classified documents that Bolton might still have in his possession, according to CNBC. Although the FBI started looking into Bolton during the Biden administration, the effort came to a standstill after Biden left office in January.

On Friday morning, Bolton was seen standing in the lobby of a Washington building. Bolton—who also served as ambassador to the United Nations—was seen leaving the lobby after a few minutes and going upstairs, according to the Associated Press.

Still, soon after it began, he posted on X about the Russia-Ukraine conflict, claiming that Trump would continue to have talks on the issue without making any real progress.

Around the same time, FBI Director Kash Patel tweeted, “NO ONE is above the law… @FBI agents on mission.” His agents were in the middle of raiding Bolton’s home in Bethesda, MD, near the nation’s capital. Attorney General Pam Bondi reposted the message, adding, “America’s safety isn’t negotiable. Justice will be pursued. Always.” 

This comes as officials investigate Democratic Sen. Adam Schiff, regarding mortgage fraud; and New York Attorney General Letitia James, who brought a civil fraud lawsuit against the president and his company. Both Schiff and James have denied any wrongdoing.

A clash over foreign affairs advisement

Bolton served as President Trump’s national security adviser from 2018 to 2019, but the two couldn’t agree on foreign matters.

The national security adviser held far more militaristic views than the president on matters like Iran, North Korea, and Afghanistan.

“John Bolton is absolutely a hawk,” Trump told NBC in June. “If it was up to him, he’d take on the whole world at one time, OK? But that doesn’t matter because I want both sides.”

In September 2019, Trump fired Bolton after months of disagreement regarding foreign and national security policy.

“I informed John Bolton last night that his services are no longer needed at the White House. I disagreed strongly with many of his suggestions, as did others in the Administration, and therefore….,” Trump posted on his then-Twitter account.

“….I asked John for his resignation, which was given to me this morning. I thank John very much for his service. I will be naming a new National Security Advisor next week.”

Since the falling out, Bolton has been a staunch critic of the president and detailed some of his experiences in his book, “The Room Where It Happened.” He pointed to other instances in which the president lashed out against him.

Earlier this month, in an ABC News interview, Bolton was asked if he felt that the Trump administration would target him after he was fired from his position. However, Bolton stated that the president had “already come after him” by stripping him of his security detail.

“I think it is a retribution presidency,” Bolton said.